The Chronicles of the Protector: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
by StrikeMoonstone9387
Summary: After being evacuated from London, the Pevensie children meet Asherah Adelaide 'Della' Evans, Professor Kirke's granddaughter. Della is taken to Narnia as well and aids in the fight against Jadis and learns of her personal destiny tied to a Son of Adam. Can they defeat Jadis and save Narnia? Will Della and the Son of Adam be able to fulfill their personal destiny?
1. Prologue

**Extended Summary**

The Pevensie children meet a young teenager when they arrive at Professor Kirke's home after being evacuated from London. They soon learn that the teen is Asherah Adelaide 'Della' Evans, Professor Kirke's granddaughter. When the Pevensie siblings are pulled into Narnia while hiding from Mrs. Macready, Della is pulled in as well. There, she learns the truth about her birth-father, as well as her role in the fate of Narnia, and joins the Pevensie's in the fight against the White Witch, Jadis. Della also learns that her personal destiny is tied closely with a Son of Adam, whose star shines brightly next to hers in the night skies of all the Worlds.  
Can they defeat Jadis and save Narnia? Will Della and the Son of Adam be able to fulfill their personal destiny?

**Prologue**

_Notes: I have played with their ages, making them about 2-4 years older than they actually were._

_Peter – 17_

_Susan – 16_

_Edmund – 14_

_Della – 13_

_Lucy – 12_

Far out in the countryside of Great Britain, a young 13-year-old girl sighed as she made her way to her grandfather's study. Her steps were light and graceful, not making a single sound on the rugged floors of the stately mansion. Reaching the study, she raised a dainty hand and knocked on the closed door.

"Enter." A weathered and cultured voice called from within.

Opening the door, she stepped inside the study, seeing her grandfather, Professor Digory Kirke, sitting behind his desk.

"You asked to see me, Grandpa?" She asked in a lilting Welsh accent.

"Yes, my dear. Come, sit." Digory said, gesturing to the sofa that was nestled against the wall.

She sat down at one end, her legs crossed at her ankles.

Digory sighed as he saw the uncharacteristically demure manner his granddaughter conducted herself with.

_Oh, Aslan. Please don't let this war change my vivacious granddaughter the way it has changed so many others. _He mused to himself as he sat down beside her. _This war has done more than take our sons, it has taken our daughters as well. Aslan, please don't let this war take my beloved granddaughter._

His granddaughter Asherah Adelaide Evans, called 'Della' by all those who knew her, was a free-spirited girl who loved to run and play to her heart's content before the World War began. However, the enlistment of her parents as medics, her older male cousins as soldiers and her own move to the British countryside away from her Welsh home changed the girl, left her with little to enjoy the way she used to. Thankfully, the few aspects of her personality, her habit of reading while walking and her outspoken nature, hadn't changed, much to his relief. Nor had her ability to get side-tracked by the smallest of things, no matter how serious a situation. Despite the knowledge that her family was out fighting in a war, his free-spirited and brave granddaughter did what she could to stay true to herself, though she spent most nights crying herself to sleep in fear for her loved ones.

The Welsh-raised British girl had dark auburn red hair* that hung in large ringlets down to her waist, snow-white skin, a diamond shaped face with a button nose, doe-shaped blue eyes that would change shades ranging from a calm ocean blue to a raging stormy grey according to her moods. She was very athletic, standing at a tiny 4'6 with a dainty looking figure already showing the visible signs of maturity and hourglass curves. Her beautiful appearance foreshadowed the breath-taking beauty she would grow up to be.

"Grandpa?" Della asked, looking up at the elderly man with her large blue eyes, currently reflecting a calming ocean.

She was dressed in a knee-length dark green pinafore dress with a collared grey long-sleeved blouse underneath*, grey socks that came just below her knees and black shoes. Her hair was parted on the side and pinned back away from her face, left to tumble down her back in loose ringlets*.

"As you know, the government has issued an evacuation order for the children of London because of the war." Digory began, looking at his beautiful granddaughter. "I have agreed to house four children, siblings, who are to be evacuated."

Della nodded in understanding, the evacuations being one of the reasons that she had been sent to the countryside to begin with, even if the order had only been for the children of London and the neighboring areas.

"Don't worry Grandpa. I'll do my best to make them feel welcome, and to lessen the sense of loss they must be feeling." Della said, for a moment sounding much older than her tender age of 13.

"I know you will my Little Sea Sprite." Digory said with a gentle smile.

He stood up and Della followed suit, hugging him tightly and giving him a smile before turning on her heel and walking out of the study. He returned to his desk and sat down, intending to return to his never-ending pile of work, when Della poked her head back in.

"What are their names?" Della asked, momentarily returning to the vivacious young girl she had been only one year earlier.

"Pevensie." Digory replied, looking at her and smiling. "Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie."

"Pevensie." Della repeated with a nod.

She smiled and turned, closing the study door behind her and proceeding to search the large mansion for Mrs. Macready, the housekeeper. The young girl fully intended to keep her promise to her grandfather, starting with preparing rooms for their guests.

Digory smiled softly at the closed door before turning to look at the sketch on his desk of a majestic Lion, hearing the Lion's roar echo in his ears.

"And so it begins, the Daughter of the Seas will meet the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Eve…"

_Links (on pinterest):_

_*Della hair colour - __ .ca/pin/474566879479422912/_

_*Della dress - __ .ca/pin/49469295891119313/_

_*Della hair - __ .ca/pin/400398223100465628/_


	2. Meetings

**Chapter 1 - Meetings**

_Two weeks later_

Della sighed for the fifth time in as many minutes, looking up from her book and out through the window. Mrs. Macready had gone to the station with the horse and carriage to pick up the Pevensie children and Della wondered how long it would be until they arrived. She wondered what they would be like, if they were friendly and nice, if they would like the rooms she had helped Mrs. Macready prepare for them.

Della was dressed in a knee-length short-sleeved navy-blue sailor dress with a white border along the hem, sleeve and collar trim*, white socks that came just below her knees and black shoes. Her long hair was parted on the side and pinned away from her face, the loose curls tumbling down her back*.

As much as she loved the large mansion, it was lonely being by herself, being the only child in resident. Most of the time, her cousins would be with her and she wouldn't be alone, but since the war began, she had been the only one that was sent to the countryside while the remaining members of her family that hadn't been enlisted stayed in Wales.

Della turned away from the window and opened her book, quickly becoming absorbed by the story she was reading. As she read, she walked that corridors, years of practice keeping her sure-footed despite not seeing where she was going.

She continued reading, unaware of the passage of time, eventually making her way to the staircase and sitting on the last step before the second landing, next to a pillar that displayed a marble bust. She looked up and smiled, closing her book when she heard the front door opening.

"Welcome back, Mrs. Macready." Della said sweetly to the older woman in a lilting Welsh accent, standing up and looking out at the five people walking across the foyer, her book in her hand.

Mrs. Macready, well used to the girl's nature of looking angelic when she most likely had been doing something she wasn't supposed to, gave Della a very unimpressed look.

"Adelaide," Mrs. Macready said looking at the girl, who made a face at being called by her full middle name. "These are the Pevensie children." She turned to the four siblings, "Children, this is Professor Kirke's granddaughter."

"Hello." Della said, smiling welcomingly. "Please, call me Della."

She looked at the four children in front of her, two boys and two girls. Of the four, three smiled back at her while the youngest boy scowled slightly and looked away.

"I'm Peter." The eldest said, speaking up after exchanging looks with his siblings. "These are my sisters, Susan and Lucy." He gestured to the older dark-haired girl and then the younger dark-haired girl. They both smiled at her in greeting. "And my brother, Edmund." He gestured to the boy who gave her a small smile before scowling once more.

"It's nice to meet you." Lucy said sweetly.

"You too." Della responded with a smile of her own.

"Professor Kirke may be accustomed to havin' children in this house, however, there are a few rules that need to be followed." Mrs. Macready said, drawing their attention to her as she led the children into the house. She looked at Della as she added, "And this goes especially for you, young lady." Della smiled back sweetly, the look not changing the stern expression on the housekeeper's face as she walked up the stairs. The four children followed her. "There will be no shoutin'. Or runnin'. No improper use of the dumbwaiter." She turned back just as Susan reached out to touch the marble bust. "NO touchin' of the historical artifacts!"

The housekeeper's shout caused the dark-haired girl to jump and pull her hand back, embarrassed. Lucy looked startled at the sudden outcry while the boys looked at each other and smiled in amusement. Della, much more used to Mrs. Macready's stern nature, shook her head and rolled her calm blue eyes when the housekeeper turned her back and walked up the remainder of the steps to the second floor.

"And above all," The older woman said sternly, turning to look at them. "There shall be no disturbin' of the Professor."

She gestured to the closed door that hid Digory Kirke's study. She turned and went through a doorway, going up another staircase with the children following. Lucy stopped and looked at foot of the closed study door, light streaming through the thin space. She gasped when she heard footsteps behind the door, shadows disturbing the stream of light.

The little girl turned and hurried after her siblings, catching up with them at the top of the staircase.

"These will be your rooms." Mrs. Macready said, leading the children to two large rooms that were across from each other. "The girls will be in one while the boys in the other. Adelaide's room is down the hall." Mrs. Macready gestured to a closed door that was a few doors down from where they were standing. "I will leave you to unpack and come to collect you for dinner at 7."

She turned and walked away, leaving the four Pevensie children and Della alone.

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me." Della said, smiling at them and turning to walk away.

"What book are you reading?" Susan asked, catching a glimpse of the book in the younger girl's hand.

"The Hobbit, by-" Della started.

"J.R.R. Tolkien." Susan finished with a bright smile.

"Yeah, have you read it?" Della asked, turning back to look at the girl excitedly.

"Yeah. It's a really good book." Susan said.

Behind her, Peter and Edmund groaned in unison, earning them a glare from the dark-haired girl. Della giggled at the sight, reminding her so much of her cousins. A pang of sadness and longing shot through her, the giggles fading.

"Well, I'll leave you to unpack." Della said hiding her sorrow behind a masked smile. "I'll see you at dinner."

Susan nodded and Della walked away, going into her room and closing the door behind her. She leaned against the door, the book dropping from her limp hand and to the ground. Tears of sorrow and longing streamed down her face as she slid down to the floor, drawing her knees up and crossing her arms over them, burying her face as she sobbed.

She missed her family, her parents and her cousins, most gone to fight in the war while those few that weren't enlisted remained in Cardiff. She missed her cousins, even the way they would tease her and Aneirin, the only one who was her age. The two of them, being the youngest, were always together. They had been born at the same time, the two not just cousins but best friends as well. This was the first time that they were separated for longer than a few hours, the large joint family living together in one home, making it all the more painful.

She slowly stopped crying and wiped her blue-grey eyes. She picked up her book and stood up, making her way to the armchair and curling up on the seat, opening her book and once more immersing herself in the mystical world of Middle-Earth.

Time passed quickly and before she knew it, Mrs. Macready was knocking on her door.

"Adelaide, it's time for dinner."

"I'm coming Mrs. Macready." Della called through the door, getting up from the chair.

She washed and dried her face before walking out of her room, joining the Pevensie siblings in the corridor. Mrs. Macready led them to the dinning room where dinner was served. It was a quiet affair, the Pevensie's still adjusting to the change and Della still missing her family and worrying for them.

After dinner, Mrs. Macready sent them off to bed, Della leading the siblings back to their rooms.

"Good night." Della said.

The farewell was echoed back as she turned wand walked to her own room. She sighed and entered her room, turning on the lights. She changed into her nightie and took out the pins holding her hair back, brushing the thick ringlets through and tying them back into a single thick braid. She lit a candle lamp before turning out the lights. She set the candle on the night stand and picked up her book, sitting on the bed and immersing herself in the pages of the fictional tale.

She slowly fell asleep, still seated up against the headboard as the book fell on her lap, her fingers holding it open.

Almost an hour after she had fallen sleep, Digory entered his granddaughter's room holding a candlestick lamp and smiled at the sight that greeted him. His beloved Asherah, who disliked her first name and went by her middle name, was fast asleep leaning against the headboard, her book lay open in her lap while her fingers held it open. On the night table beside her, the candle was nearly burned out.

He walked to her bed, setting his lamp on the table, and lifted the book, marking her page and putting it on the night table before shifting the little girl's position so that she was laying down on her bed.

"Goodnight, my Little Sea Sprite." He said softly, kissing her cheek.

As he walked out of the room, Della smiled in her sleep and curled further into the covers, lost in her dreams.

_Links (on pinterest):_

_*Della sailor dress - .ca/pin/327636941622627219/_

_*Della hair - .ca/pin/400398223100465628/_


	3. A Game of Hide-and-Seek

**Chapter 2 – A Game of Hide-and-Seek**

The next day dawned cloudy and grey. It wasn't long after breakfast that the clouds let loose an unrelenting torrent of rain, making it absolutely impossible for any of the children to go outside and play, which had been what each of them were hoping for. Soon, they found themselves in one of the rarely used parlour rooms and all of them were utterly bored.

Lucy sat on a sofa and gazed forlornly out of the window.

"Gastrovascular." Susan said, sitting on one of the doubles and reading from a large dictionary on her lap. "Come on Peter, 'Gastrovascular'."

"Is it Latin?" Peter asked with a sigh, rolling his eyes and straightening in his chair to look at her.

Susan, trying to make the most of the day and fight the boredom, came up with a game that had her reading a word from the dictionary and the others had to ask questions to figure out its meaning. While the idea of inventing a game was nice, the game itself was mind-numbingly boring.

"Yes." Susan replied.

"Is it Latin for 'worst game ever invented'?" Edmund asked, sitting up and looking at the older dark-haired girl.

He had been laying flat on his back, fiddling with one of the single chairs in the parlour.

"Or 'most boring game ever invented'?" Della asked, looking at the older girl from where she was sitting at a table and working on some mathematic problems.

The red-head girl was dressed a light purple short-sleeved collared A-line dress that reach her knees*, a darker purple cardigan that was unbuttoned, white socks folded at her ankles and black shoes. Like the previous days, her hair was parted on the side and pinned back, away from her face and the curls loosely tumbling down her back.

Della and Edmund's comments had Peter chuckling softly. Susan glared at three of them, slamming the large tome shut.

"We could play hide-and-seek." Lucy said hopefully, getting off the sofa and moving around to stand beside Peter's seat.

"But we're already having so much fun." Peter said, his tone a touch sarcastic as he glanced at Susan.

Susan glared at him.

"Come on Peter, please." Lucy pleaded, playing with the older boy's larger hand. "Pretty please?"

She pouted, looking at him with large blue-grey eyes.

"1, 2, 3, 4…" Peter started counting with a smile.

Lucy smiled widely as Peter stood up. Della laughed and closed her workbook, standing up.

"What?" Edmund asked in dismay as he stood up as well.

The four children cleared out of the room quickly while Peter stood against a cabinet, counting.

"5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11…"

The three siblings searched for places to hide in the large house, finding different places but disregarding them just as quickly. Della, who knew the house better than anyone, was also in a similar position, finding places but disregarding them as not good enough.

"…24, 25, 26…"

Della considered hiding behind a curtain but decided it didn't leave enough room to hide her, she considered hiding beneath a table but decided it left her too visible, she considered hiding in one of the bedrooms but decided against it since bedrooms were considered personal space, she tried several other rooms, but found them to be closed off.

"…60, 61, 62…"

Finally, as she was running to the top floor, she came across Lucy.

"You haven't found anywhere to hide?" Lucy asked, looking surprised.

"No. Most of the places are closed off for some reason." Della replied as she tried opening one of the doors, only to find it locked. "See what I mean?"

"…65, 66, 67…"

Lucy tried the next door and found it unlocked.

"Della, this one's open." Lucy said.

The two girls entered the room and found it empty, save for something large at the very back of the room, covered by a large tarp.

"Strange, I never noticed that before." Della muttered to herself as the two girls walked up to the covered object.

Della pulled the tarp down and uncovered the structure, revealing a wardrobe. It was beautifully made, with a cherry mahogany finish and intricate carvings along each of the panels and the doors.

"Wow. This is beautiful." Della breathed, running her fingers over the wood.

"…75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80…"

Lucy opened the wardrobe door and a few white marbles fell out and rolled across the floor.

"81, 82, 83, 84…"

Della looked back at the room door, left ajar and allowing them to hear Peter's faint voice as he counted. The two girls looked at each other, both similar heights and similar ages.

"85, 86, 87, 88…"

Thunder rumbled outside as rain pelted the windows mercilessly. The two girls quickly stepped into the closet and closed the door behind them, leaving it open just a sliver so that they could see the room door and hear Peter's voice.

"89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95…"

The giggled quietly as they stepped backward, moving further into the wardrobe and hiding amongst the coats. They kept moving back, towards the back of the wardrobe and Lucy keeping a close eye one the door.

The dark-haired girl gasped when she touched something sharp, the sound echoed by Della. They looked at each other before turning around, their eyes going wide and jaws dropping the sight that greeted them.

"Oh, _Duw_." Della breathed in wonder.

"Wow." Lucy breathed in amazement.


	4. Entering Narnia

**Chapter 3: Entering Narnia**

Surrounding them was a snow-covered wood, snow flakes falling gently from the sky. They walked forward, making sure to stay by each other, and giggled quietly at the feeling of the snow flakes on their cheeks. Della looked around, as far as she could see, there were snow-covered trees.

They walked through the trees, stopping for a moment to look back.

"The wardrobe is still there." Lucy said quietly, taking Della's hand and holding it tightly in her own.

"Good." Della said. "The last thing we want is to get lost."

They continued walking and Della frowned when she caught sight of a gentle golden glow coming from between the trees.

"What's that?" Lucy asked, catching sight of the same glow as they walked up to it.

The glow was coming from a lamppost, the flames encased in a glass lantern at the very top.

"What's a lamppost doing in a forest?" Lucy asked, an expression of wonder on her face.

The girls reached out and put their hands on the pole, Lucy biting back the gasp at the feel of the cold metal beneath her palms while Della was unaffected by temperature.

"What's a forest doing in a wardrobe?" Della asked in response.

Before Lucy could respond to Della's question, they heard the sound of rustling coming from behind the trees. They looked around the trees, the rustling accompanied by the sound of hoofbeats. Their eye darted around, the sounds of twigs breaking and hooves approaching reaching their ears.

They looked at each other, nervousness clear in their eyes. Della took Lucy's hand and held tightly as the footsteps became closer and a figure emerged from the snow-covered trees, holding an umbrella in one hand and laden with packages in the other.

The two girls looked at the being and screamed in surprise. The being, who hadn't noticed them, reacted with an alarmed scream and dropped his packages. The girls ducked behind the lamppost while the being hid behind a tree. For a moment, the three hid in fright before the girls peeked out curiously from behind the lamppost.

They slowly stepped out from behind the metal pole and stepped forward. The being peeked out from behind the tree, watching them while still being mostly hidden. Lucy bent down and picked up one of the packages, Della following suit. Neither girl looked away from the being that was hiding behind the tree.

"It's alright." Lucy said reassuringly, holding the package carefully in her hand.

"You don't have to be afraid." Della added.

The being stammered as he stepped out from behind the tree, revealing a being with long ears, pale skin, bare-chested and goat legs – a Faun - who had a red knitted scarf around his neck.

"Were you hiding from us?" Lucy asked, holding the package she was holding out the Faun.

The Faun looked at Lucy then at Della, taking the packages the girls were holding out to him.

"N-no. Uh, well- I just… I…" The Faun stammered in response, tucking the two packages beneath his arm and bending to pick up the others. his gaze never left the two girls as they watched him. "No. No. I-I-I just… I was just, um… I didn't want to scare either of you."

Della and Lucy giggled as the Faun gave them a sheepish smile.

"If you don't mind my asking, are you a Faun?" Della asked, looking up at the tall being.

"Yes, I am." The Faun replied with a smile. "And what about you? Are you some kind of beardless dwarves?"

"We're not dwarves! We're girls!" Lucy exclaimed with a smile, finding the comment funny. She bent down to pick up one of the packages and handed it to the Faun as she added, "And actually, I'm tallest in my class."

"Really?" Della asked her before letting out a breath of frustration. "Lucky. I'm shortest in my class."

"You mean to say that you're Daughters of Eve?" The Faun asked, flustered.

"Well, my mum's name is Helen." Lucy said uncertainly.

Della had a similarly uncertain expression on her face.

"Yes, but you are in fact human." The Faun clarified, disbelief colouring his voice.

"Yes, of course." Della replied with a small frown.

The Faun's eyes darted around the area before he looked back at them.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, we were hiding in the wardrobe in the spare room, and…" Lucy started.

"Spare Oom?" The Faun repeated in confusion. "Is that in Narnia?"

"Narnia? What's that?" Della asked, equally confused.

"Well, dear girls, you're in it." The Faun replied, chuckling. "Everything from the lamppost," He pointed at the lamppost with his umbrella before pointing out towards the horizon as he continued, "All the way to Castle Cair Paravel on the Eastern Ocean." He lowered the umbrella and looked at the two shocked girls. "Every stick and stone you see, every icicle, is Narnia."

"This is an awfully big wardrobe." Lucy said faintly.

The girls stared out in the distance and looked at the vast expanse of snow covered land before them. Della felt a sense of peace as she took in the expansive surroundings, but that peace was tinged with restlessness. She didn't know why, but somehow, she got the feeling that the wintery sight before them wasn't normal for Narnia.

"War Drobe?" The Faun whispered with a scoff. He shook his head lightly and raised his voice so that the girls could hear him. "I'm sorry. Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tumnus."

The two girls turned to face him as he bowed to them.

"Pleased to meet you Mr. Tumnus. I'm Lucy Pevensie." Lucy said with a bright smile.

"And I'm Della Evans." Della replied with a smile.

Both girls held their hands out to Mr. Tumnus, who looked at them strangely.

"Oh, you shake it." Lucy told him.

"Uh… why?" He asked with a chuckle.

"I… I don't know actually." Lucy replied with an incredulous expression. "People do it when they meet each other."

Mr. Tumnus looked at them strangely once more before reaching out and shaking their hands sideways, one after the other. Della and Lucy looked at each other and giggled at the Faun's misinterpretation of a hand shake.

"Well, then, Lucy Pevensie and Della Evans from the shining city of War Drobe in the wondrous land of Spare Oom, how would it be if you came and had tea with me?" Mr. Tumnus asked, opening his umbrella and holding it over their heads to protect them from the falling snow.

"Well, thank you very much, but…" Lucy said with a smile before trailing off, her smile fading.

"We probably should be getting back." Della said regretfully.

"Yes, but it's only just around the corner." Mr. Tumnus insisted. "And they'll be a glorious fire with- with toast and tea and cakes. And, perhaps," he leaned in as he said in a conspiratorial whisper, "we'll even break into the sardines."

"I don't know." Lucy said uncertainly, exchanging a look with Della.

"Come on." Mr. Tumnus insisted gently. "It's not everyday that I get to make a new friend. Especially not two."

"Well, I suppose we could come for a little while." Della said as she and Lucy picked up the last few packages that were on the ground. "If you have sardines."

"By the bucket load." Mr. Tumnus said, smiling at them happily as the two girls stood beside him under the umbrella. The two girls, excited about spending time with their new friend, didn't notice him glancing around nervously as if to see if anyone had seen them.

Chuckling lightly, Mr. Tumnus led them to his home, chattering the entire way. The girls marveled at their surroundings as they listened to him talk. The girls stopped short as they caught sight of the Faun's home, nestled in a large mountain.

"Well, here we are." Mr. Tumnus said, noticing the girls stopping. He chuckled lightly at their expressions. "Come along."

Della and Lucy exchanged smiles and followed the Faun as he led them to the door.

"After you." He said, opening the door.

"May we help you with that?" Lucy asked him, gesturing to the packages that Mr. Tumnus was holding.

"Thank you very much." Mr. Tumnus said as he handed the packages over to the girls.

"Oh, wow." Della and Lucy breathed in unison as they entered the house and took in their surroundings.

Mr. Tumnus folded his umbrella and looked around the area surrounding his home, wanting to see if anyone had noticed them. Seeing no one, he entered his house and closed the door, stamping his feet on the door mat to get rid off the snow that clung to him.

"Oh." Lucy breathed, catching sight of a framed photograph on a side table.

She put her packages down beside the table and picked up the photograph, looking at it. Della, drawn by her voice, gently put her own packages down as well and joined her, looking at the photograph as well. The girls didn't notice Mr. Tumnus locking the door.

"Now, that… that is my father." Mr. Tumnus said with a small chuckle.

"He has a nice face." Lucy commented, looking at the bearded Faun in the frame.

"He looks a lot like you." Della said with a smile, intending it to be a compliment.

"No." Mr. Tumnus said quietly, putting the key high on the mantle place above the fireplace. He gazed into the flames with a sad expression. "No, I'm not very much like him at all, really."

"My father's fighting in the war." Lucy said softly, putting the frame back in its placeholder on the table.

"Mine, too." Della said quietly. "Both my parents and most of my male cousins have been enlisted."

"My father went away to war too." Mr. Tumnus said gently, looking at the two girls.

The girls looked up at him, their eyes shadowed by a pain that they shouldn't have had to experience at such a young age.

"But that was a long, long time ago." Mr. Tumnus said, going to the kitchen and preparing the tea. "Before this dreadful winter."

"Winter's not all bad." Lucy said as she looked at the books that the Faun had in his collection.

"Yeah, there's ice skating and snowball fights." Della added with a smile, looking at the other photographs that were around the sitting room.

Mr. Tumnus looked out of the kitchen and smiled at the girls.

"Oh! And Christmas!" Lucy added with a bright grin.

"Not here." Mr. Tumnus said softly as he brought out a tray laden with the tea and snacks that he placed on the table in front of the arm chairs. "No. No, we haven't had a Christmas in a hundred years."

"What? No presents for a hundred years?" Lucy asked in dismay.

"You've had winter for a hundred years?" Della asked, focused more on having such a long winter.

"Always winter, never Christmas." Mr. Tumnus said, sitting in an armchair as the girls sat down across from him. "It's been a long winter."

"And here I thought having winter for six months was bad." Della muttered.

"But you would have loved Narnia in summer." Mr. Tumnus said with a smile, handing them each a tea cup and saucer. "We Fauns danced with the Dryads all night, and, you know, we never got tired." He poured the milk for each of them as he spoke. "And music. Oh, such music!" He sighed wistfully in remembrance as the girls listened, sipping their tea. "Would… would you like to hear some now?"

"Oh! Yes, please." Lucy said with a smile, Della nodding in agreement.

Mr. Tumnus took down a wooden box from above the mantle place and put it on his lap.

"Now, are you familiar with any Narnia lullabies?" Mr. Tumnus asked as he opened the box and removed a strange looking flute.

"Sorry, no." Della said, shaking her head.

"Me neither." Lucy said.

"Well, that's good." Mr. Tumnus said, putting the box away. "Because this… probably won't sound anything like one."

He cleared his throat and began to play the flute, producing a sweet melody that resonated through the small modest home. Both girls found their gaze drawn to the fire, where a figure formed within the hearth by the flames – a horse and rider that made a circuit around the fire before disappearing.

The girls gasped and looked back at Mr. Tumnus who nodded reassuringly to them, not stopping his gentle melody. They looked back at the fire where more figures appeared, slowly becoming mesmerized by the sight, a stag that whinnied as it galloped around the fire before disappearing, a group of Fauns dancing and laughing together.

As they watched the figures, their eyes slowly dropped shut as sleep overtook them. As they surrendered to their slumber, the teacups fell from their limp hands and shattered against the hard floor.

Della and Lucy woke several hours later. As they straightened up in their chairs they felt the wind blowing through the dark house. The candles and the fire had been extinguished, making the house dark and cold.

Della looked out through the window and saw the darkened sky outside. Lucy looked at the empty chair in font of them, wondering where Mr. Tumnus went.

"Lucy, we should go home now. We've been gone for hours." Della said softly.

Lucy nodded and they moved to get up from the chairs.

"It's too late for that now." They heard Mr. Tumnus say sadly. They turned towards the sound of is voice and found him sitting on the floor, curled against the wall in despair. "I'm such a terrible Faun."

"Oh, no." Lucy said gently as the two girls stood up walked over to him slowly. "You're the nicest Faun I've ever met."

"Granted we've never actually met any Fauns before." Della added.

"Then I'm afraid you've had a very poor sampling." He said quietly as they stopped in front of him.

"You can't have done anything that bad." Lucy said as she pulled out her handkerchief, a white cloth square with a lace border and 'L.P' embroidered in one corner, and handed it to the Faun.

"It's not something I have done, Lucy Pevensie, Della Evans." The Faun said as he wiped his eyes with the handkerchief. "It's something I am doing."

"What are you doing?" Della asked with a confused frown.

"I'm kidnapping you." He told them sadly.

The girls gasped in fear and stepped back, Della instinctively stepping in front of Lucy in an attempt to protect her.

"It was the White Witch." He explained tearfully, regret pouring off of him. "She's the one who makes it always winter, always cold. She gave orders."

"It was cold outside?" Della asked quietly, momentarily sidetracked.

"Yes, you didn't notice?" Lucy asked, looking at the older girl in confusion.

"No." Della replied, shaking her head. "I've never noticed whenever it's cold. It's never bothered me." She shook her head and turned back to the Faun. "What were the orders that the White Witch gave?"

"If any of us ever find a human wandering the woods, we're supposed to turn it over to her." The Faun said in a trembling voice, though he looked at the red-headed girl in curiosity at her admission about not feeling the cold.

"But, Mr. Tumnus, you wouldn't." Lucy said quietly. Mr. Tumnus sniffled in sorrow and looked away, unable to look at the heartbroken expressions on the girls' innocent faces. "I thought you were our friend."

He looked back at them with determined eyes. In that moment, he made a decision that would forever change the course of Narnia's fate, though he didn't know it at the time; he decided to let the girls go.

"Come on." He said urgently. "You two have to go back to your land. Now." He opened the door and took their hands, pulling them along behind him as he hurried across the snow-capped terrain. "She may already know you're here." The girls grunted as they ran through the woods. "The woods are full of her spies. Even some of the trees are on her side." The girls looked around at the trees as they caught sight of the golden glow of the lamppost. They came to a stop at the metal pole and he looked at them. "Can you find you're way back from here?"

"I- I think so." Lucy said uncertainly.

"I know the way." Della said, nodding.

"All right." Mr. Tumnus said, nodding as he bent to look at them.

"Will you be all right?" Lucy asked him in concern.

Della looked at him with the same concern on her face, not wanting her new friend to get into trouble with someone so dangerous on their account. The Faun chuckled nervously as a few more tears escapes his eyes, wiping them away with Lucy's handkerchief that he still held.

"Hey, hey, hey." Della crooned softly to the weeping Faun, taking out her own handkerchief, a pale blue square cloth with a white lace border and 'A.A.E' embroidered in one corner, and handing it to him.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, wiping his tears with the new handkerchief before looking at the two sweet girls. "I'm so sorry." He held one of their hands in each of his own and gave the handkerchiefs back to them, saying, "Here."

"Keep it." Della said, pulling her hand out of his grip and leaving the handkerchief in his palm.

"Yeah, you need them more than we do." Lucy added with a small nervous chuckle, pulling her hand away as well, her own handkerchief left in the Faun's larger palm.

"No matter what happens, Lucy Pevensie, Della Evans, I am glad to have met you both." Mr. Tumnus said earnestly. "You both have made me feel warmer than I've felt in a hundred years." He smiled at them for a moment before becoming serious. "Now go. Go!"

"Be safe, Mr. Tumnus." Della said softly to the Faun as she took Lucy's hand.

"Don't worry about me." He said.

The girls turned and hurried through the trees, back to the wardrobe and England. Mr. Tumnus watched them until they were out of sight before walking back home.


	5. Truth or Lie?

**Chapter 4: Truth or Lie?**

The girls exited the wardrobe back in the spare room, falling to the ground with grunts.

"…99, 100." Peter called from the parlour as he finished counting. "Ready or not, here I come!"

The girls got up off the floor and ran out of the spare room, not hearing Peter's call.

"It's all right! We're back!" Lucy yelled as they ran down the hall.

"We're all right!" Della added in an equally loud yell as they ran down the stairs.

"Shut up!" Edmund hissed, poking his head out from behind the curtain. "He's coming!"

The girls looked at him in confusion as Peter walked through the doorway and glanced around. The older boy walked up to them when he caught sight of the girls standing beside the curtain and Edmund poking his head out. Edmund sighed in disappointment and stepped out from behind the heavy drapes.

"You know, I'm not sure you three have quite got the idea of this game." Peter said, looking at the three of them.

"Weren't you wondering where Della and I were?" Lucy asked her eldest brother.

"That's the point." Edmund told her in exasperation. Susan came up behind them, coming to a stop next to Peter. "That was why he was seeking you."

"Does this mean I win?" She asked with a smile, drawing their attention to her.

"I don't think Lucy and Della want to play anymore." Peter told her.

"We've been gone for hours." Lucy said quietly.

The three Pevensie siblings turned to look at them, focusing more on Lucy than Della.

"She's right." Della said, nodding. "There was a wood inside the wardrobe in the upstairs room. We met a Faun named Tumnus."

"We had tea and cakes with him and he played some very sweet music." Lucy added.

The three older children looked at the girls disbelievingly.

"Come on, let's at least check it out." Peter said with a sigh.

The five children went back to the spare room, Susan and Edmund going to the wardrobe to investigate while Peter stood back with Lucy and Della. The two girls watched as Susan opened the wardrobe and separated the coats that hung inside. The older dark-haired girl looked at the back of the wardrobe and knocked on the wood while Edmund, who went behind the wardrobe, gave an answering knock in return. He proceeded to knock on the wood in different areas, checking for any changes or disturbances in the woodwork.

Susan let go of the coats and stepped out of the wardrobe as Edmund walked around it and joined them.

"Lucy, Della, the only wood in here is the back of the wardrobe." Susan said with a sigh as she looked at the girls' expectant faces and smiles.

"One game at a time, Lu." Peter said. "We don't all have your imagination."

The smiles faded from Lucy and Della's faces as they listened to Susan and Peter's words. The three turned and began walking towards the door, Lucy and Della frozen in their spots realizing that no-one believed them.

"But we weren't imagining!" Della cried, making them turn around and look at her.

"I know we don't know you very well, Della, but that's enough." Susan told the young red-head firmly.

"We wouldn't lie about this!" Lucy cried in despair.

"Well, I believe you." Edmund said, causing the four to look at him.

"You do?" Lucy asked with a frown at the uncharacteristic comment from her older brother.

Della, unaware of the dark-hared boy's nature, looked at him with a hopeful expression on her pretty face.

"Yeah, of course." Edmund said, looking between the two younger girls and his older siblings. "Didn't I tell you about the football field in the bathroom cupboards?"

Della and Lucy looked at Edmund with hurt expressions, tears filling their eyes at the callous remark.

"Oh, will you just stop?" Peter snapped at Edmund. "You just have to make everything worse, don't you?"

"It was just a joke!" Edmund exclaimed defensively, ignoring the pang of guilt that shot through him at the hurt expression on Della's pretty face.

"When are you gonna learn to grow up?" Peter asked him disappointedly.

"Shut up!" Edmund yelled at him, a sudden wave of anger surging through him as he stepped towards the older boy. "You think you're Dad, but you're not!"

He stormed out of the room as Peter watched forlornly.

"Well, that was nicely handled." Susan told Peter sarcastically.

She turned and walked out of the room, going after Edmund to try and fix the situation.

"But… it really was there." Lucy said quietly, causing Peter to turn and look back at the two tiny girls.

"Susan's right, Lucy, Della. That's enough." Peter said quietly.

He turned and walked out of the room, wondering how a simple game of hide-and-seek turned into such a mess. Della sighed quietly and turned towards the wardrobe, closing its wooden door.

"Come on, Lucy. Let's go find something to do." Della said, taking the younger girl's hand.

As they walked out of the room, Della frowned, realizing something about the situation, a theory beginning to formulate in her mind.

"Lucy, I don't think any time passed here." Della said quietly a few seconds later, turning to the dark haired girl.

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked with a frown as they walked down the corridors.

"I mean, when we went into the wardrobe, Peter was counting, right? And when we came back, he was just starting to seek."

"Yeah." Lucy said slowly, nodding.

"So what if, the entire time we were in Narnia, only a few seconds passed here? A few minutes at most?"

"It would explain why no one realized we were gone." Lucy said softly, still hurt over her siblings' dismissal.

"And why it was even harder for them to believe us." Della added. Her contemplative expression turned into a scowl. "Though that doesn't make it right for them to dismiss us like that."

"No one said being the youngest was easy." Lucy muttered as the girls went into Della's room and closed the door behind them.

Della laughed at the remark as they settled down on her bed facing each other.

"Lucy, did you feel a sense of restlessness while we were in Narnia?" Della asked curiously.

"No." Lucy replied, shaking her head. "Why? You did?"

"Yeah." Della replied quietly. "I think it might have to do with what Mr. Tumnus said about the White Witch. How she's the one who makes it always winter."

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked with a frown.

"I mean, when he showed us Narnia's borders, the lamppost to Castle Cair Paravel in the distance, I got the strange feeling that the wintery scene we saw wasn't normal for Narnia." Della replied. She shrugged and added as an afterthought, "Then again, it's a magical world inside a wardrobe, so who knows?"

Lucy laughed, the sound setting Della off as well. The two girls collapsed into a fit of laughter, their hurt washing away.

"You said that most of your cousins were fighting in the war." Lucy said a few minutes later, once they had stopped laughing. "You're an only child?"

"Kind of." Della replied with a sigh, laying back on the bed and looking up at the ceiling. "My birth-father died when I was small and my mother married again when I was six. My step-father loves me as if I was his own daughter, even giving me his name, but he and my Mum haven't had any other children besides me." She faced the younger girl, who was also laying on her back, and grinned. "But I do have six cousins, four of whom are boys. They all see me as their sister. In fact, the youngest and I were born on the same day, at the same time and in the same hospital."

"Seriously?!" Lucy exclaimed in surprise.

"Yeah." Della replied with a laugh, nodding her head. Slowly, her smile faded as a look of sadness crossed her face. "This is the first time I've been here without him. Actually, it's the first time I've been anywhere without him."

"Where is he?" Lucy asked quietly. She knew he couldn't be among those who were fighting in the war.

"He and his sisters are still in Wales." Della replied quietly. "They were able to stay with their mother while their father and my parents fought in the war. I was supposed to stay with them, Auntie was willing for me to stay with them as well, but Grandpa suggested that I stay here with him instead." She sighed. "I don't mind being here, in fact, I've always loved it here which was why Grandpa suggested it. But the main reason I used to love it so much was because I would at least have Aneirin with me if not the others."

"Why didn't he come with you?"

"Three of her sons and her husband are already so far from her reach, her brother and sister-in-law as well. Auntie couldn't bring herself to be parted from another of her children when there was the chance for her to keep him close." Della replied.

"There's something I don't understand." Lucy said with a frown. At Della's encouraging look, she continued, "How is your mother able to fight in the war?"

"My step-father and my mother were enlisted in a medical capacity." Della replied. "Dad's a doctor and Mum's a nurse."

Lucy nodded in understanding.

That night, after having spent the rest of the day talking and playing with each other, Lucy and Della lay awake in their respective rooms, unable to sleep.

Della sighed and turned onto her side, the fifth time she had changed position in just as many minutes. She was worried about Mr. Tumnus, if the White Witch had found out he had helped them escape and if he was safe. Finally, unable to sleep and unable to bear her worries, she got out of bed and pulled on her boots. She put her dressing gown on over her nightie, throwing her thick braid over her shoulder, and picked up the flickering candle lamp from the night table, making her way out of her room.

"Della?" Lucy whispered, coming out of her room with a dressing gown and boots on as well, holding her own candle lamp.

"Couldn't sleep?" Della asked her knowingly.

"No. I'm worried about Mr. Tumnus." Lucy admitted. "And whether we'll be able to go back."

"One way to find out." Della said, nodding towards the staircase.

Lucy smiled and the two girls giggled quietly, silently making their way up to the spare room on the top floor. They entered the dark spare room, lit only by the candles the girls were holding, and slowly walked towards the wardrobe at the back of the room. Lucy opened the door and the girls smiled when a gust of cold wind blew out through the wardrobe, extinguishing the candle flames.

"Let's go." Della said excitedly, taking the candle lamp from Lucy and putting both on the floor.

The two girls entered the wardrobe and made their way to the back, emerging in the snowy wood of Narnia.

They didn't see Edmund follow them into the wardrobe, having noticed them walking the corridors. Nor did they see Edmund enter Narnia behind them, having already begun making their way to Mr. Tumnus' home.

An hour later, the girls made their way back to the lamppost and the wardrobe to return to England. The visit to the Faun's home had been much shorter than the previous one, mostly for the girls to see if he was safe. After sharing tea and a small conversation as they enjoyed the brew, the Faun was quick to send them on their way, not wanting the sweet girls to remain where they would be in danger.

Like the previous visit, Della once again felt the restlessness from the moment her and Lucy entered the snowy wood, but only thought to mention it when her and Lucy were on their way back to the wardrobe.

"Lucy, isn't that Edmund?" Della asked as they neared the lamppost, pointing to a figure in a blue dressing gown with his back turned to them.

"Edmund?" Lucy called out. Edmund turned to them and Lucy gave a wide smile, running to her brother and giving him a tight hug. "Oh, Edmund! You got in too!"

"Isn't it wonderful?" Della asked happily, a bright smile on her face as well.

"Where have you two been?" Edmund asked, pushing his sister away.

"With Mr. Tumnus. He's fine." Lucy replied.

"The White Witch hasn't found out about him meeting us." Della added with a relieved smile.

"The White Witch?" Edmund repeated in confusion, a frown marring his features.

The girls looked around for a moment before leaning in closer to Edmund.

"She calls herself the Queen of Narnia, but she really isn't." Lucy said quietly, making sure that only Edmund and Della could hear her.

Edmund looked to the ground, seemingly becoming paler than his already relatively pale white skin tone.

"Are you all right?" Della asked in concern. "You look awful."

"Well, what'd you expect?" Edmund retorted with a scowl. "I mean, it's freezing."

He wrapped his arms around himself in emphasis, looking at the girls.

"Is it really that cold?" Della asked Lucy in confusion, not feeling the coldness the way Edmund was, or even Lucy.

"Yes, it really is that cold." Lucy replied with a giggle.

"How do we get out of here?" Edmund asked, beginning to shiver from the frigid temperature.

"Come on." Lucy said, taking one of his hands and holding it in hers. "This way."

Her and Della, who took Edmund's other hand in hers, led the boy through the trees and back to the wardrobe.

Returning to England, where predictably no time had passed, Lucy and Della let go of Edmund's hands and ran to his and Peter's shared room. Lucy switched on the light and jumped on the bed, Della following suit.

"Peter, Peter, wake up!" Lucy exclaimed, shaking the older boy. "Peter, wake up!"

"It's there! It's really there!" Della exclaimed, joining Lucy in shaking the older boy.

Edmund and Susan walked into the room, Susan wondering what the commotion was about and Edmund scowling, the colour once more returned to his features.

"Shh." Peter groaned tiredly, lowering the covers and rubbing his eyes. "Lucy, Della, what are you talking about? And Della, what are you doing in my room?"

"Narnia!" Lucy and Della exclaimed excitedly in unison, both ignoring the question about why Della was in the boys' room.

"It's all in the wardrobe like we told you!" Della said.

"You've just been dreaming, you two." Susan said with a sigh.

"But we haven't!" Lucy said, looking at her older sister. "We saw Mr. Tumnus again! And this time, Edmund went too."

The four of them turned to Edmund, Peter and Susan with incredulous expressions while Della and Lucy looked at him expectantly. Edmund looked back at them, feeling cornered.

"You… You saw the Faun?" Peter asked Edmund.

Edmund looked between Susan and Peter before shaking his head.

"Well, he didn't actually go there with us." Della said as she sat on the bed cross-legged. "He…" She trailed off with a frown, wondering what Edmund had been doing in Narnia.

Lucy got off the bed and looked at Edmund curiously, a frown on her child-like features.

"What were you doing, Edmund?" She asked, looking at her older brother.

Edmund looked at the four faces, three he knew and one he just met. A part of him wanted to tell the truth, for some reason he didn't want to hurt the girl he just met the way he had earlier that day. However, another part of him, the part that was hurt and angry, had a much louder voice.

"I was just playing along." Edmund said with a sigh, shrugging. Lucy and Della looked at each other as Edmund continued, "I'm sorry, Peter. I shouldn't have encouraged them, but you know what little children are like these days."

Della's jaw dropped in disbelief at being called a 'little child' by him. She was only a year younger than him! Lucy on the other hand, looked at her brother with hurt and betrayal swimming in her eyes, the large orbs filling with tears as she listened to what he was saying.

"They just don't know when to stop pretending." Edmund said in an almost mocking tone as he leaned against his bed post at the foot of his bed.

Lucy sobbed and ran out of the room with tears streaming from her eyes, Edmund watching her go with a smirk on his face. Susan sighed, looking at the younger boy in disappointment and ran out after her. Della climbed over Peter and got off the bed, the older boy grunting when she accidentally dug her knee into his stomach. She marched up to Edmund and punched him in the face, _hard_.

"Ow!" Edmund exclaimed, grabbing his jaw where the feisty red-head's blow had hit. "That hurt!"

"Good!" Della said, glaring at him with sea blue eyes reflecting a raging storm before running out of the room.

Peter got out of bed, glaring at the younger boy and grabbing his dressing gown. As he ran out of the room, he pushed Edmund back, making him fall onto the bed.

"Ow!" Edmund exclaimed again as he landed on his back.

Lucy ran down the stairs sobbing, not seeing where she was going. She ran right into Digory, who was on his way back to his room after having gotten a late night snack from the kitchen.

"Oh!" Digory exclaimed in surprise when the girl ran into him.

Lucy looked up at him, tears streaming down her face, before burying her face in his abdomen, wrapping her arms around his waist as much as she could. He frowned and wrapped his arms around her comfortingly, wondering what had the girl so upset. Susan, Della and Peter ran up the stairs and came to a stop at the landing at the sight that greeted them.

"Grandpa!" Della exclaimed, not having seen him in several days because he was so busy.

"You children are one shenanigan shy of sleepin' in the stable!" Mrs. Macready growled in an almost shout, coming down the stairs and tying her dressing gown around her waist. She stopped abruptly, embarrassment crossing her face, when she caught sight of Digory with his arms around a still sobbing Lucy. "Professor. I'm sorry. I told them you were not to be disturbed."

"It's all right, Mrs. Macready." Digory said calmly. "I'm quite used to being nearly run over by weeping children." He looked at Della who smiled in response. "There had always been an explanation then, and I'm sure there is one now." Lucy looked up at him and he gently guided her towards the stern woman. "But first of all, I think this one is in need of a little hot chocolate."

"Yay, hot chocolate!" Della exclaimed, momentarily distracted.

She stepped towards Mrs. Macready and Lucy, intending to follow them into the kitchen for some of the sweet drink.

"I don't think so, young lady." Digory said, causing the girl to look at him and pout adorably. "You are going to give me an explanation."

Della's shoulders slumped at the order, the pout deepening.

"Come along dear." Mrs. Macready said gently to Lucy, guiding the young girl down the stairs.

Susan and Peter turned to go back downstairs. Digory cleared his throat pointedly, getting their attention.

"If you two would join Adelaide and I in the study as well." He said.

He led them to his study where he went behind the desk while the three children stood in front of him.

"You seem to have upset the delicate internal balance of my housekeeper." Digory said as he took some tobacco leaves from a silver apple, putting them in his pipe and sat down. He looked at Della as he added, "Again."

"Sorry, Grandpa." Della said apologetically, an equally apologetic expression on her face.

While she often enjoyed upsetting Mrs. Macready's 'delicate internal balance', Della still felt bad for her actions when they disrupted anyone's health routine – eating, sleeping, resting etc. Not to mention, this particular situation wasn't from mischief, rather from emotions being played with and feelings being hurt.

"We're very sorry, sir. It won't happen again." Peter said apologetically.

He tugged Susan's sleeve and began pulling her out of the study.

"It's our sister, sir." Susan said after a moment, pulling her arm out of Peter's grip.

"Lucy." Della supplied helpfully.

"The weeping girl." Digory surmised.

"Yes, sir." Susan said. "She's upset."

"Hence the weeping." Digory said.

"It's nothing." Peter said, not wanting to let a stranger know of their troubles. "We can handle it."

"Sure, you can." Della muttered sarcastically.

"Oh, I can see that." Digory said, shooting Della a stern look.

"Her and Della think they've found a magical land." Susan said with a sigh, causing Digory to smile indulgently.

"We don't _think_ we've found a magical land, Susan! We _did_ find a magical land! In the upstairs wardrobe!" Della hissed angrily, her expression going from sarcastic to furious and glaring at the older two children before storming out.

Digory, who had been smiling indulgently even while Della yelled at Susan about the magical land, looked at his granddaughter's retreating back in shock when she mentioned the wardrobe. He stood up and walked around the desk, a frown on his face.

"What did she say?" Digory asked Susan and Peter, who had been watching Della's retreating back.

"Um, the wardrobe, upstairs." Peter said slowly as Digory guided them to the sofa. The two of them sat down. "Lucy and Della say that they've found a forest inside."

"The two of them won't stop going on about it." Susan said helplessly.

"What was it like?" Digory asked, sitting down in the armchair adjacent to the two siblings.

"Like talking to lunatics." Susan replied, before realizing that she had just called the man's daughter a lunatic. "Sorry, sir."

"No, no, no, not the girls. The forest." Digory explained, shaking away the comment and the apology.

"You're not saying you believe them?" Peter asked incredulously.

"You don't?" Digory asked in shock.

"But of course not." Susan replied. "I mean, logically, it's impossible."

"What do they teach in schools these days?" Digory asked quietly when he heard Susan's response.

Peter and Susan looked at each other in confusion.

"Edmund said they were only pretending." Peter pointed out.

"And he's usually the more truthful one, is he?" Digory asked.

"No. This would be the first time." Peter replied sheepishly.

"Well, if they're not mad and they're not lying, then _logically_ we must assume they're telling the truth." Digory said, using Susan's own words. "And let me tell you something about my granddaughter, that girl does not know how to lie. She's tried, repeatedly, only to fail spectacularly each time."

He struck a match and lit his pipe.

"You're saying that you believe them? And that we should just believe them as well?" Peter asked slowly.

"I understand not believing Della since you don't know her, however Lucy's your sister isn't she?" Digory asked him. "You're her family. You might just try acting like one."

Peter and Susan exchanged looks and sighed.

"Now, I have a distraught grand-daughter to find and you have an equally distraught sister to find." Digory said after a few moments, standing up.

"Yes, sir." Peter said as he and Susan stood up. "Good night."

"Good night, sir." Susan said.

The two turned and headed out of the room, followed by Digory. The three parted ways at the bedrooms, Peter and Susan going into the girls' room while Digory went into Della's room. Unfortunately, the two girls were already fast asleep, the tear track that marred their faces sending sharp pangs of pain through their hearts.

As he watched his granddaughter sleep, wiping away the tear tracks from her snow-white face, Digory wondered if it meant that the time was coming for the prophecies to come to pass. He had never mentioned the wardrobe or Narnia to Della or her cousins, no matter how much he wanted to – even as just stories – but it had been too dangerous for the young red-head to know to early. If it really was time for the prophecies to come to pass, he prayed that the five children would survive the coming battles they would face to free Narnia.


	6. Return to Narnia

**Chapter 5: Return to Narnia**

With the next day dawning bright and sunny, the five children were sent outside to enjoy the warm golden rays. While Peter, Susan and Edmund played cricket, Della and Lucy decided to sit under the shade of a large tree and alternated between reading and talking about Narnia – Della had 'The Sword in the Stone' open on her lap while Lucy had a Nancy Drew mystery 'The Secret of the Old Clock' open on hers. Both girls were still a little upset with the older children about the night before.

Della was dressed in a knee-length light blue short sleeved dress with a white frill bow on the chest and a similar white frill along the sleeve cuffs*. She wore white socks that folded at her ankles and light blue shoes. Her hair was in the same style as the previous days, parted on the side and pinned away from her face with the curls left loose to tumble down her back*.

Of the five children, Della and Peter were the only ones not wearing cardigans over their clothing.

"Peter winds up, poised to take yet another wicket!" Peter said, providing the commentary for the game, as he ran forward and threw the red ball.

It flew through the air and hit Edmund in the thigh, who was supposed to be batting. Behind him was Susan who was standing behind the wicket.

"Ow!" The dark haired boy cried out, grabbing his shin.

He had been gazing up at the window of the spare room where the wardrobe to Narnia was located.

"Whoops!" Peter said with a laugh. "Wake up, Dolly Daydream."

Susan picked up the ball and threw it back at the blonde, who caught it.

"Why can't we play hide-and-seek again?" Edmund asked.

Della and Lucy looked up at Edmund's question. Lucy turned back to her book and Della put a comforting arm around her, looking at Edmund with a raised eyebrow.

"I thought you said it was a kid's game." Della said coolly.

"Besides, we could all use the fresh air." Susan added with an uncertain smile as Peter got ready to bowl the ball again.

"It's not like there isn't air inside." Edmund pointed out.

"Are you ready?" Peter asked Edmund.

"Are you?" He asked back, taking the batter's position.

Peter ran forward and bowled the ball, sending it flying toward Edmund. Edmund hit the ball with the bat, sending it flying towards the house. Della looked up when it flew through an upper window, shattering the stained-glass design followed by a crash.

"Uh oh." Della said as they all looked at each other wide eyed. "I really hope it was only the window that broke."

"Come on, let's go see what happened." Susan said.

Della and Lucy put their books on the ground and stood up, joining the older three as they went inside. Entering the room with the broken window, Della groaned at the sight of the suit of armour laying on the ground, evidently having been knocked over by the ball.

"Well done, Ed." Peter said sarcastically, looking at the broken window and the suit of armour.

"You bowled it!" Edmund retorted defensively.

"What on Earth is goin' on?" They heard Mrs. Macready shout.

"The Macready!" Susan exclaimed.

"Oh, this is not good!" Della cried. "The last time we broke something, she had all seven of us mucking out the stables!"

"You're joking!" Edmund cried, looking at her disbelievingly.

"And when we were done with the stalls, she moved on to giving us different parts of the mansion to clean."

"Come on!" Peter exclaimed, shaking out of his disbelief and running out of the room.

The other four followed him. They ran down the corridor and through a parlour. Edmund looked out of the parlour's opposite door before turning around to face them.

"No, no, back, back, back!" He hissed urgently, hearing the stern housekeeper's footsteps.

They ran back the way they came and went up the stairs. On the landing, Susan tried to open the door only to find it locked. They froze when they heard the sound of Mrs. Macready's footsteps. Peter turned, leading them back down the stairs and down another corridor. They ran through most of the house, trying rooms to hide in only to find them locked or hearing Mrs. Macready's footsteps.

"I don't get why so many rooms are locked." Della muttered at one point as they narrowly avoided being caught. "They never have been before."

They ran up another staircase and down the corridor, having to double back when they heard Mrs. Macready coming up the opposite staircase. They turned around and ran back down the corridor, Peter in the lead.

"Seriously! She has never been this fast!" Della exclaimed in confused exasperation, running up the final staircase to the top floor.

"Well she is now." Peter said as he tried to open the door in front of him, only to find it locked as well.

Edmund turned and ran to the next room, opening the door. The five of them hurried inside and closed the door behind them. Edmund ran up to the wardrobe and opened the door, Peter, Susan, Della and Lucy slowing to a stop in the middle of the room as they stared at the dark-haired boy in varying degrees of surprise.

"Come on!" Edmund exclaimed, gesturing to the open door.

"Oh, you have got to be joking." Susan said in disbelief.

"Well, it's either hiding in the cupboard or cleaning out the mansion." Della said, glancing at the room door.

"I vote hiding." Lucy said, raising her hand.

"Hiding." Edmund said, gesturing to the inside of the wardrobe.

Susan sighed exasperatedly and nodded, running towards the wardrobe when they heard Mrs. Macready's footsteps.

"Man, she really is fast." Peter said as he ushered the three girls into the wardrobe.

He stepped inside behind them and closed the door, leaving the door open a sliver and peeking out to watch the door. He heard footsteps echoing and he breathed heavily.

"Get back." Peter whispered, stepping backwards.

"My toe!" Lucy hissed as they moved further back.

"I'm not on your toe!" Edmund cried.

"Move back." Della said.

"Will you stop shoving?" Peter asked.

"Ow, that's my arm!" Susan cried

They were all shouting as they moved back, stepping out of the wardrobe and into a snowy wood. Della frowned at the unsettled and restlessness feeling that was building inside her once again. Lucy and Della looked at each other and smiled brightly, the red-head brushing aside her restlessness, instead watching as Susan and Peter grunted and fell over backwards onto the snow-covered ground. Frowning at the feeling of cold wetness, Peter and Susan turned around and their eyes widened in surprise as shock coloured their faces. They slowly stood up and walked through the trees that obscured their sight, looking around in shock.

"Impossible." Susan gasped, looking around at the snow-capped trees in wonder.

"Don't worry." Lucy said with a smile, a hint of mocking in her tone. "I'm sure it's just your imagination."

"I-I don't suppose saying we're sorry would quite cover it." Peter stammered, looking at Lucy and Della.

"No." Della said shaking her head. "It wouldn't."

Matching grins crossed Della and Lucy's faces as they withdrew a snowball from behind their backs and tossed them at Peter and Susan.

"But that might!" Lucy said with a laugh.

Peter and Susan laughed as well as they each grabbed some snow and packed them into balls before throwing them at the girls. The four of them laughed as they threw snowballs at each other, enjoying the impromptu snowball fight.

Edmund didn't join them, instead turning and looking out into the distance at a space just beyond the two hills. He pondered the words he had been told by the Queen, the one whom Della and Lucy told him was the White Witch. He wasn't sure he believed the girls about the Queen, not sure if someone so nice could be so terrible. He was jolted out of his thoughts by a snowball thrown by Susan hitting his shoulder.

"Ow!" He cried, rubbing the shoulder. Peter, Susan, Della and Lucy turned to look at him. "Stop it!"

"You little liar." Peter said, looking at the younger boy.

"You didn't believe them, either." Edmund argued back.

"Apologize to Lucy and Della." Peter ordered. When Edmund didn't make any move of following the order, Peter stepped forward, saying loudly, "Say you're sorry."

"All right!" Edmund said irritated, glancing to the two girls. "I'm sorry."

"That's all right." Lucy said, in the same hint of mockery in her tone from before.

"Some little children just don't know when to stop pretending." Della said, a hint of mockery in her voice as well.

"Oh, very funny." Edmund said quietly, making a face at the girls.

"But you ever call me a little child again, I will punch you again." Della told Edmund fiercely, losing all traces of her mocking as she looked up at the older boy.

"Maybe we should go back." Susan suggested before Edmund could respond to the warning and Lucy could ask what it meant.

"But shouldn't we at least take a look around?" Edmund suggested, gesturing to their beautiful snow-covered surroundings.

"I think Lucy and Della should decide." Peter said with a smile, looking at the two little girls.

The girls gasped at the statement, bright smiles crossing their faces.

"I'd like you all to meet Mr. Tumnus!" Lucy said excitedly.

Della nodded in agreement.

"Well, then Mr. Tumnus it is." Peter said with a laugh, going back to the wardrobe.

"But we can't go hiking in the snow dressed like this." Susan said, rubbing her arm and gesturing to their summer clothing.

Della cocked her head to the side in confusion, wondering what was wrong with their clothing.

"No." Peter said, emerging from the wardrobe with large fur coats over his arms. "But I'm sure the professor wouldn't mind us using these."

"What's wrong with what we're wearing?" Della asked, completely confused as Peter handed her a coat.

"They're summer clothes, Della." Susan said with a sigh, looking at the girl and wondering why she had even asked. Della, still not understanding, cocked her head to the side in confusion. "We're going to get cold. It's already starting to get a bit chilly."

"We will? It is?" Della asked, looking around at the Pevensie's and folding her coat over her arm.

"Della isn't affected by the cold." Lucy said, as she put her coat on.

"Must be from growing up in Cardiff." Susan speculated.

"Well, keep it just in case." Peter said to Della while he handed Susan a coat. "Anyway, if you think about it _logically_," He held out a coat to Edmund as he spoke. "We're not even taking them out of the wardrobe."

"But that's a girl's coat!" Edmund argued, looking at the black and grey fur coat.

"I know." Peter said with a sneer, pushing the coat to Edmund's chest.

Edmund sighed in annoyance and anger as he took the coat and put it on. Once the four siblings had their coats on and Della had hers folded over her arm, they began walking through the snow. Peter and Susan marveled at the sight surrounding them, Della and Lucy giggling at their expressions. They laughed as they walked through the snow, Peter even going and rolling down a snow bank at one point before climbing back up and resuming their walk. Lucy and Della talked about Mr. Tumnus and pondered aloud how he would react at seeing them again.

"…lots and lots of lovely food, and we'll have lots and lots of…" Lucy chattered on as they turned the final bend.

"Lucy, look!" Della cried in alarm, pointing to the sight before them.

_Links (on pinterest):_

_*Della dress - .ca/pin/118430665178371848/_

_*Della hair - .ca/pin/400398223100465628/_


	7. Prophecies and Truths

**Chapter 6: Prophecies and Truths**

Mr. Tumnus' front door was smashed in, hanging by the hinges. The girls stared with wide eyes, fear filling their heart at the thought of what could have happened to the gentle Faun.

"Lu? Della?" Peter asked hesitantly, not liking the looks of alarm and fear on the girls' faces.

The sound of their names shook them out of their trancelike states and they ran forward to the house.

"Lucy! Della!" Peter yelled, running after them with Susan and Edmund behind him.

They ran into Mr. Tumnus' house, mindful of the broken door and came to an abrupt halt on the threshold. They slowly walked forward, taking in the mess – the broken furniture, the shattered glass, the ripped cushions, the cutlery and utensils on the floor.

"Who would do something like this?" Lucy asked sadly.

"There was a struggle." Della said quietly, her voice tinged with fear for her friend. "An intense struggle."

Della wrapped her arm around herself, looking at the home that was in shambles around them. She had a bad feeling about what had happened to Tumnus, the restlessness and unsettling feeling getting stronger. Lucy looked down at the tea set that lay broken on the floor, the remnants of Mr. Tumnus' meal mixed in with the pieces. Edmund stopped when some glass broke under his foot. Looking down, he saw a framed photograph of a bearded Faun laying on the ground, the glass cracked. Peter saw a piece of parchment pinned to one of the support pillars. He glanced at the four of them apprehensively and reached out, pulling the parchment off the wall and looking at it. Susan walked over to him and looked at the parchment over his shoulder as Peter read aloud,

_"The Faun Tumnus is hereby charged with High Treason."_ Peter and Susan exchanged looks before Peter went back to reading the warrant. _"Against Her Imperial Majesty, Jadis, Queen of Narnia."_ Lucy and Della walked up to Peter's other side and looked at the parchment, the older boy lowering it slightly so that the smaller girls could see. _"For comforting her enemies and fraternizing with humans. Signed Maugrim, Captain of the Secret Police. Long Live The Queen."_

Della and Lucy exchanged horrified looks. Susan took the parchment from Peter and looked at it, skimming over the content rapidly.

"All right." The dark haired girl said with finality, lowering the parchment and looking at Peter. "Now we really should go back."

"But what about Mr. Tumnus?" Lucy cried out worriedly.

"If he was arrested just for being with a human, I don't think there's much we can do." Susan said gently, her tone helpless as she looked at the sweet girls in front of her.

"You don't understand, do you?" Della asked quietly, her voice filled with guilt. "Lucy and I are the humans."

"She must have found out he helped us." Lucy added quietly.

Edmund, who had been listening to Peter read the warrant, looked horrified when heard what Della and Lucy said about being the humans that the Faun had helped. He had a bad feeling that he was the one that caused the Faun's arrest. Seeing the guilt and sorrow on Della's face tore something inside him, filling him with regret at what he had done.

"May be we could call the police." Peter suggested.

"These are the police." Susan reminded him, holding up the parchment in her hand.

"Don't worry Lu, Della." Peter said reassuringly, bending down and looking at the two distraught girls. "We'll think of something."

"Why?" Edmund asked, deciding to push aside his guilt and regret and try to cover up his actions, fearing what they would say when they learned of the role he played. At his question, the four looked at him. "I mean, he's a criminal."

A Bird chirped outside, landing on a nearby tree. They looked out of the window and saw the Bird looking at them.

"Psst." The Bird said.

The five children looked back at each other in surprise.

"Did that bird just 'psst' us?" Susan asked quietly, disbelievingly.

"I think so." Della said with a frown.

Peter sighed and walked back out of the house, the others following him. They watched as the bird flew off and tensed at the sound of a twig breaking. They walked forward cautiously, looking around, their bodies tense as they heard a rustling coming through the trees.

A loud rustling coming from their right had them whipping around in fear. Scared, Lucy and Della clung to Susan's coat sleeve as the equally scared dark haired girl put her hand on Peter's shoulder, the three stepping closer to him. Peter reached up and squeezed Susan's hand as they stared at a snow-covered rock where the rustling was coming from.

The sound became louder and a Beaver emerged from behind the rock. It looked at them, sniffing.

"It… It's a beaver." Lucy said, cocking her head to the side in confusion.

They watched as the Beaver came closer to them, sniffing. Peter walked towards the Beaver slowly, holding his hand out and rubbing his fingers together.

"Here, boy." Peter said nervously, clicking his tongue. "Here, boy."

He continued clicking his tongue as the Beaver came closer to them. The Beaver stopped in front of Peter and stood on his hind legs as Peter straightened his hand and held it out.

The Beaver looked at Peter's hand and then at the boy.

"I ain't gonna smell it, if that's what you want." The Beaver said, looking at Peter as if he were a complete idiot.

At the sight of the Beaver talking, Edmund gasped in shock, Susan's eyes widened in equal shock and Lucy laughed at their expressions.

"That is so cool." Della said with a wide grin, completely forgetting her earlier fear.

"Oh. Sorry." Peter said dumbfounded, withdrawing his hand.

"Lucy Pevensie? Della Evans?" Mr. Beaver asked, looking at the two girls that weren't as shocked as the older ones.

Lucy and Della's grins faded instantly as they looked at the Beaver.

"Y-yes?" Lucy asked uncertainly, the two of them stepping forward.

Mr. Beaver held out two square cloths, one white and the other light blue. Lucy and Della took them from the Beaver and their eyes widened in surprise when they saw what the cloths were.

"These are the hankies we gave to Mr. Tum…" Della started, looking at the Beaver in confusion.

"Tumnus." Mr. Beaver said, nodding. "He got them to me just before they took him."

"Is he all right?" Lucy asked in concern.

"The home showed signs of an intense struggle." Della added with worry, gesturing to the house behind them.

Mr. Beaver glanced around before looking back at the two girls.

"Further in." He said, gesturing towards the direction he had come from.

He turned and bounded back through the boulders and toward the trees. Peter, Lucy and Della began to follow him.

"What are you doing?" Susan hissed, grabbing Peter's coat and stopping the three of them from going any further.

"She's right." Edmund said, walking up to them and stopping beside Susan. "How do we know we can even trust him?"

"He had our hankies." Della said, holding up the blue cloth in explanation.

"He said he knows the Faun." Peter said, shrugging.

"He's a beaver." Susan said incredulously. "He shouldn't be saying anything!"

Susan, being of a very logical and scientific mind, couldn't wrap her head around the fact that they had just spoken with a Beaver. She was still having a hard time wrapping her head around the fact that they were in a magical land that she had all but dismissed as impossible only the previous day.

"Everything all right?" Mr. Beaver asked, popping out from behind the boulder.

"Yes." Peter said, turning around to look at the Beaver. "We were just talking."

"More like arguing." Lucy and Della whispered dolefully in unison.

"That's better left for safer quarters." Mr. Beaver whispered before bounding off once more.

"He means the trees." Lucy explained, looking around at the tall trees that surrounded them.

Lucy and Della remembered what Mr. Tumnus had said about the trees the first time they had been to Narnia.

_"Even some of the trees are on her side."_

Peter, Susan and Edmund exchanged looks before turning and following the Beaver. They walked along the snowy path, trees on one side and the rising hills on the other.

"Come on." Mr. Beaver said as he led the five humans along the path. "We don't want to be caught out here after nightfall."

They waked for a time, the sun progressing its journey across the sky. As the sky slowly darkened, the small group emerged from an opening between two rocky hills and came to a stop at the top of a smaller hill.

"Ah, blimey! Looks like the old girl has got the kettle on. Nice cup o' Rosy Lee." Mr. Beaver said happily.

Mr. Beaver gestured to a dam down below by a frozen pond, the lights on and smoke billowing gently out of the chimney.

"It's lovely." Lucy said with a smile.

"Absolutely." Della agreed, a small smile on her face.

"It's merely a trifle. Still plenty to do." Mr. Beaver said bashfully. "I haven't quite finished it yet. It'll look the business when it is, though."

He began walking down the path that led to his home and the five humans followed.

"Beaver, is that you? I've been worried sick!" A female voice called from inside the dam as they got closer. A female Beaver emerged from the doorway, still berating Mr. Beaver. "If I find you've been out with Badger again, I-" She cut herself off when she caught sight of the five humans that were coming down the path to her home behind her husband. "Oh!" She covered her mouth with her paws, her eyes wide. "Well, those aren't Badgers." She whispered to herself. A smile crossed her face as she walked up to the humans, taking in the sight of them. "Oh, I never thought I'd live to see this day." She looked down at herself, and turned to her husband. "Look at my fur!" She scolded him. "You couldn't have given me ten minutes warning?"

"I'd have given you a week if I thought it would've helped." Mr. Beaver told her, chuckling.

His comment had Peter, Susan, Della and Lucy chuckling as well.

"Oh, come inside, and we'll see if we can't get you some food, and some civilized company." Mrs. Beaver said with a smile, looking Mr. Beaver when she said 'civilized company'.

She turned and walked inside as Mr. Beaver chuckled sheepishly at her remark.

"Now, careful. Watch your step." He warned as the children moved towards the door.

"Excuse the mess." Mrs. Beaver said as Peter, Susan, Della and Lucy entered the home. "Can't get Mr. Beaver to get out of his chair."

Peter, Susan and Lucy removed their coats and piled them by the door, Della adding hers to the pile as well. The four of them sat around the table as Mrs. Beaver bustled about. Edmund entered the dam a few minutes later with Mr. Beaver behind him and added his coat to the pile before sitting on the steps.

"Isn't there anything we can do to help Tumnus?" Peter asked Mr. Beaver, sitting between Della and Susan.

"They'll have taken him to the Witch's house." Mr. Beaver said, sitting down across from Peter, between Lucy and Susan. "And you know what they say, there's few that go through them gates that come out again."

"Fish 'n' chips?" Mrs. Beaver asked, coming to the table with a plate of food in her paws, gently placing it on the table in front of Lucy who was sitting between Della and Mr. Beaver. "But there is hope, dear." She said soothingly, seeing the despondent expressions on Lucy and Della's faces. She put a paw on Lucy's arm. "Lots of hope."

Mr. Beaver, who had just taken a sip of his drink, choked on the mouthful and spat it back out.

"Oh, yeah, there's a right bit more than hope!" He exclaimed. He leaned in towards the four humans at the table and said in a whisper, "Aslan's on the move."

Della gave a small smile as a feeling of warmth filled her at the name. For a single moment, the restlessness she was feeling faded and she felt at peace before the restlessness took hold once more.

"Who's Aslan?" Edmund asked, getting up from the stairs and moving to stand by the table.

Mr. Beaver burst out laughing at Edmund's question.

"Who's Aslan?" Mr. Beaver chortled. The five humans looked at him with blank looks, having no idea what had him laughing. "You cheeky little blighter." Mrs. Beaver nudged her husband and he turned to her. "What?" She nodded to the children and he looked at them, taking in their blank looks. "You don't know, do you?"

"We haven't exactly been here very long." Peter pointed out.

"Well, he's only the king of the whole wood. The top geezer. The real King of Narnia." Mr. Beaver said.

"He's been away for a long while." Mrs. Beaver continued.

"But he's just got back!" Mr. Beaver exclaimed enthusiastically. "And he's waitin' for you near the Stone Table!"

"He's waiting for us?" Lucy asked in confusion.

"You're bloomin' joking!" Mr. Beaver cried out exasperatedly, turning to his wife. "They don't even know about the prophecy!"

"Well, then…" Mrs. Beaver said calmly, gesturing for him to explain to the confused humans.

"Look." Mr. Beaver said with a sigh, turning to the four children. "Aslan's return, Tumnus' arrest, the secret police - it's all happening because of you!"

"You're blaming us?" Susan asked taken aback.

"No! Not blaming." Mrs. Beaver said. "Thanking you."

"I don't know if that makes me feel any better than being blamed." Della said.

"There's a prophecy." Mr. Beaver said with a sigh, seeing the humans still didn't understand. "_'When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone sits at Cair Paravel in throne, the evil time will be over and done'_."

"You know, that doesn't really rhyme." Susan said smartly.

"I know it don't. But you're kinda missin' the point!" Mr. Beaver exclaimed.

"It has long been foretold," Mrs. Beaver said, putting a calming paw on her husband's shoulder. "That two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve will defeat the White Witch and restore peace to Narnia."

As Mrs. Beaver spoke, explaining the prophecy, Susan and Peter looked at each other, turning to face the female Beaver when she had finished talking.

"And you think we're the ones?" Peter asked in wide-eyed disbelief.

"Well, you'd better be, 'cause Aslan's already fitted out your army." Mr. Beaver said, waving his paw around in exaggeration.

"Our army?" Lucy repeated in disbelief, looking at Peter.

"Peter, one reason or another, we were all sent away so we_ wouldn't_ get caught up in a war." Susan said softly to Peter.

"I think you've made a mistake. There's five of us, not four." Peter said to the Beavers.

"Yeah, how do I fit into all of this?" Della asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Tumnus said that you don't feel the cold." Mr. Beaver said, looking at her. "He also said you had told him that Della isn't your real name. That it's short for your middle name, Adelaide."

"Yeah." Della said, nodding slowly and still not seeing what her name had anything to do with their situation. "The first 'A' stands for Asherah. My full name is Asherah Adelaide Evans."

She never went by her first name, the name her mysterious birth-father had given her. Her mother always said that Della's birth father had died when she was very small, and despite how much she loved the uniqueness of her first name, she preferred going by her middle name as it had been easier to pronounce when she was small. There was also the occasional times where she disliked her first name.

"When the prophecy about the two Daughters of Eve and the two sons of Adam was told, another was told as well." Mrs. Beaver said, looking at Della. "It is said that the Daughter of the Seas will return to Narnia with the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Eve. She will be their Protector, with power over water, as well as any water-based element. You can command the tides of the seas, control the water around you, and in time, your tears can cause rain to fall, the strength of the storm depending on your emotions, and so much more."

"Daughter of the Seas? Protector of Narnia?" Della repeated, staring at the Beavers in disbelief with her jaw hanging open.

"Yes, your father is Nereus, the God of the Seas." Mr. Beaver said, nodding.

"'Is'? As in present tense? You mean to tell me that my father is alive?" Della asked, her voice shaking with the effort of supressing her tears and her anger. Lucy reached out and took her hand, squeezing it gently. "All these years... I thought he was dead when he was actually alive? He had walked out on us?"

The Beavers and the Pevensie's exchanged sympathetic looks. As hard as it was for Susan and Peter to wrap their heads around what they had learned, they knew it must be ten times more difficult for Della who had just found out that what she had been told and believed all her life was a lie.

"Hold on, does the restlessness and uneasiness Della's been feeling have anything to do with being 'Protector of Narnia'?" Lucy asked with a frown, remembering what Della had said after their first visit and just before they had encountered Edmund during the second.

"It proves that you're the Protector!" Mr. Beaver exclaimed. "You are connected with Narnia, you always have been! It's why you feel restless and uneasy, because of the evil and the darkness that's fallen over us."

"Look, we're not heroes." Peter said to the Beavers.

"We're from Finchley." Susan added.

"Actually, I'm from Cardiff." Della pointed out, momentarily side-tracked, earning an exasperated look from Susan.

The Beavers looked at each other, not understanding what the two girls meant.

"Thank you for your hospitality." Susan said, standing up. "But we really have to go."

"No, you can't just leave!" Mr. Beaver cried out.

"He's right." Lucy said as Peter stood up as well. "We have to help Mr. Tumnus."

"It's out of our hands, girls." Peter said firmly, looking down at Lucy and Della who were still sitting at the table. He looked at the Beavers who were watching Peter and Susan with disbelief. "I'm sorry. It's time the five of us were getting home. Ed?" Peter turned towards the stairs where Edmund had been sitting. At the silence that met Peter's call, they looked around the small home. "Ed?"

"Mr. Beaver, did you close the door after you came inside?" Della asked, a worried look on her face.

"Yeah, I did." Mr. Beaver replied.

"Then why is the door open?" Della asked, pointing to the open front door.

"I'm gonna kill him." Peter growled, looking at Susan with fear and worry swimming in his eyes.

"You may not have to." Mr. Beaver said gravely, drawing their attention to him. "Has Edmund ever been to Narnia before?"

"Once." Peter said in horror, the look being mirrored by the three girls.


	8. The Journey Begins

**Chapter 7: The Journey Begins**

Peter, Susan, Della, Lucy and Mr. Beaver stumbled through the snow, chasing after Edmund. The three siblings had their coats on, Della leaving hers in the dam since she didn't need it.

"Hurry!" Peter called, in the lead.

They ran through the trees, dodging the branches that blocked their path. They ran to the top of a hill and came to stop, staring at the castle in the distance. It was made almost entirely of ice, emanating an eerie blue-green glow against the dark night sky. They watched in horror as a small dark huddled figure approached the open gates.

"EDMUND!" Lucy and Della yelled in unison.

"Shh! They'll hear ya!" Mr. Beaver hissed frantically. Peter ran forward, intending to go after Edmund. "No!" He cried, grabbing Peter's coat and pulling him back.

"Get off me!" Peter yelled at the Beaver.

"You're playing into her hands." Mr. Beaver said urgently.

"We can't just let him go!" Susan cried.

"He's our brother!" Lucy exclaimed.

"He's the bait! The Witch wants all five of you!" Mr. Beaver exclaimed urgently, trying to get the four children to understand.

"Why?" Della asked.

"To stop the prophecies from coming true." Mr. Beaver said, looking at all of them.

"You mean she wants to kill us?!" Della exclaimed, her eyes wide in disbelief.

"Yes!" Mr. Beaver exclaimed, glad that they seem to have understood.

They turned and looked back at the castle, watching in despair as Edmund's figure entered the large doors which then closed behind him.

"This is all your fault." Susan said angrily, looking at Peter.

"My fault?" Peter repeated incredulously, turning to look at her.

"None of this would have happened if you had just listened to me in the first place!" Susan yelled.

"Oh, so you knew this would happen?" Peter asked sarcastically.

"I didn't know what would happen." Susan said in a softer tone. "Which is why we should have left while we still could!"

"Both of you, SHUT UP!" Della yelled, causing the two older children to whip around and look at her.

Susan and Peter both had surprised expressions on their faces at being yelled at by Della. Her currently dark blue eyes, reflecting a turbulent sea, were swimming with fear, terrified for the boy she barely knew but felt connected to.

"This isn't going to help Edmund." Lucy added in a much calmer tone.

"They're right." Mr. Beaver said. "Only Aslan can help Edmund now."

"Then take us to him." Peter said in a firm tone.

They looked back at the castle one more time before turning around and going back down the hill and towards the dam. They walked in silence, broken only by Della's sniffling as she managed to hold back her tears.

"We'll get him back." Peter said quietly, moving to walk beside Della, as they walked through the trees. He spoke mostly to pretty red head though the others could still hear him. "It'll be all right."

"How can you be sure, Peter?" Della asked quietly, looking up at him. "Our families are already fighting in a war, we already face the possibility of loosing them. I can't face the possibility of losing a friend, too."

Peter sighed and wrapped his arm around the younger girl comfortingly as Susan did the same with Lucy. The night air was suddenly pierced with the sound of a wolf's howl. They all looked back in the direction of the Witch's castle, knowing almost instinctively that it had been where the howl originated from.

"It's her Wolves! Run!" Mr. Beaver shouted.

Susan and Peter grabbed Lucy and Della's hands to make sure they didn't fall behind and the five of them ran the remainder of the way back to the dam. Behind them, they could hear the Wolves barking and the occasional howl pierce the air.

"Hurry, Mama! They're after us!" Mr. Beaver shouted to Mrs. Beaver as he burst in through the door, the four humans running in behind him.

"Oh, right then." Mrs. Beaver said, nodding and bustling around the kitchen.

"What's she doing?" Peter asked Mr. Beaver incredulously, watching the female Beaver bustle around the kitchen.

Mr. Beaver rolled his eyes and shook his head, having no idea what his wife was doing.

"Oh, you'll be thanking me later." Mrs. Beaver said, opening a cupboard and grabbing some food from it. "It's a long journey and Beaver gets cranky when he's hungry."

"I'm cranky now!" Mr. Beaver yelled.

Susan and Della began helping Mrs. Beaver, grabbing food and jars from the cupboards and begin packing them, putting them into bags.

"Della, are you going to take your coat?" Lucy asked, holding up the dark fur coat.

"No, I don't need it and it'll be one less thing to carry." Della replied, grabbing the wrapped packages and putting them into the bags.

"Do you think we'll need jam?" Susan asked, wrapping some bread loaves and jam into a cloth and tying it into a bag.

"Only if the Witch serves toast." Peter sniped sarcastically, earning a glare from Susan.

"Seriously you two!" Della exclaimed exasperatedly, looking at the two siblings. The dam's other five occupants looked at her as she continued, a touch of sarcasm in her tone. "It's not like we're trying to avoid a tea invitation. We're trying to avoid a power-hungry psychotic Witch who is adamant about killing us. So can we do a little more hurrying and a little less sniping, please?"

Before Susan could retort, they heard the Wolves snarling and growling outside. They looked at the domed ceiling in fear, Lucy and Della moving closer to each other.

"They're here." Della whispered in fear, clinging to Lucy's hand.

The Wolves began clawing at the wood that made up the domed roof, growling and snarling as they began breaking through. Mr. Beaver went to a side wall and pulled a lever, opening a panel that revealed a large hole with sturdy rope hanging from above and going all the way down to the bottom.

"Hurry!" Mr. Beaver whispered urgently, holding the panel open and ushering the humans and his wife to climb down the rope one after the other.

He followed them in, clinging to the rope as he closed the panel behind him. Down in the tunnel below, Peter and Susan grabbed a torch and a lantern respectively while Lucy and Della grabbed the bags and Mr. Beaver led them through the tunnel.

"Badger and me dug this." Mr. Beaver said as he led them through the tunnel on all fours, Peter behind him and holding the torch up. "Comes out right near his place."

"You told me it led to your Mum's!" Mrs. Beaver exclaimed, calling him out on the lie he had told.

Lucy and Della, who were right behind Mrs. Beaver, tripped over a protruding root in the ground and fell with a grunt, landing in a heap.

"Lucy! Della!" Susan cried, helping the girls up.

"Are they okay?" Peter asked, him and Mr. Beaver whipping around to look at them when they had fallen.

They looked up when they heard the Wolves' snarling and growling echo in the tunnel.

"They're in the tunnel!" Lucy whispered fearfully.

"Quick! This way!" Mr. Beaver cried, turning and running down the tunnel.

"Hurry!" Mrs. Beaver cried, following her husband.

The four humans ran after the Beavers, adrenaline pumping through them.

"Run!" Peter shouted.

"Quick! Quick! Quick!" Mrs. Beaver urged.

They ran until they came to a dead end in the tunnel, coming to an abrupt halt. Mr. Beaver looked at the wall, trying to remember which way to go.

"You should have brought a map!" Mrs. Beaver yelled.

"There wasn't room next to the jam!" Mr. Beaver yelled in response.

Mr. Beaver jumped up and climbed out of the hole that was in the ceiling of the tunnel. Mrs. Beaver followed him, with Susan and Della climbing up next.

"Come on, Lucy!" Susan cried as Lucy climbed out of the tunnel, straining from exertion.

Peter came out last and proceeded to help Mr. Beaver cover the tunnel with a large barrel. Lucy walked backward a few steps and grunted when she tripped over something and fell over backwards.

Her grunt had everyone turning to look at her as she scrambled backwards, revealing what she had tripped over.

"Oh, _Duw_!" Della breathed, her eyes wide and her hands flying to her mouth, dropping the bags she had been holding.

They were stone statues of a family of Badgers.

"They aren't statues are they?" Della asked quietly, tears filling her eyes though she managed to keep them from falling. "They've been _turned_ to stone."

Unlike the statues that would be found in a museum or in Digory Kirke's home, these statues had their expressions frozen in fear and pain, their positions mirroring that of someone trying to defend themselves against an opponent.

Della reached out and touched one of the statues, gasping when she felt a flash of unimaginable pain fill her. She clamped her free hand over her mouth to keep her scream from escaping and drew her hand back, scrambling backwards. Peter put his arm around her comfortingly and she clung to him gasping from the shock. Mr. and Mrs. Beaver walked up to another statue, this one with his paws up in front of his face defensively and his expression one of pain as his face froze in a scream that would never be heard.

"I'm so sorry, dear." Mrs. Beaver said quietly to her husband, putting a gentle paw on his back.

"He was my best mate." Mr. Beaver said sadly.

"What happened here?" Peter asked, his expression going from fright to determination. He had one arm around Della's shoulders while Susan held Lucy's hand, the three girls looking around at the statues.

"This is what becomes of those who cross the Witch." A male voice said, startling them.

It was a Fox, standing on a boulder and looking down at them. Peter, seeing Fox, stepped in front of the girls protectively, watching the canine distrustfully. The girls peeked out from behind his arms to see what was going on, each of them clinging to his coat with white-knuckled fists.

"You take one more step, traitor, and I'll chew you to splinters!" Mr. Beaver growled warningly, stepping towards the Fox. Mrs. Beaver followed him, her paws on his shoulders as she tried to pull him back away from the canine.

"Relax." Fox said with a chuckle, hopping off the boulder and walking towards them. "I'm one of the good guys."

"Yeah? Well, you look an awful lot like one of the bad ones." Mr. Beaver snapped distrustfully, Mrs. Beaver still keeping him from lunging at the Fox.

"An unfortunate family resemblance." Fox sighed. "But we can argue breeding later. Right now we've got to move."

No sooner had he said that, they heard howling and rustling coming from the tunnel's blocked entrance. They glanced towards the sound, the girls clinging to Peter tightly in fear.

"What did you have in mind?" Peter asked Fox hurriedly, turning to look at him.

Fox smiled and explained his idea.

"I don't know." Della said hesitantly, looking at Fox with a worried expression. "That puts you in too much danger, Mr. Fox."

"You have a better idea?" Susan asked, looking down at her.

"No, I don't." Della replied reluctantly, shaking her head.

"Then Mr. Fox's idea it is." Peter said, ushering them towards the trees.

"Be careful, Mr. Fox." Della said, looking over her shoulder at the canine.

"Don't worry about me, My Queen." Fox said, smiling back at her and exchanging meaningful looks with the Beavers that went unnoticed by the humans.


	9. A Personal Destiny Revealed – Part 1

**Chapter 8: A Personal Destiny Revealed – Part 1**

The snarling Wolves burst through the tunnel, the barrel blocking the entrance being tossed to the side. The Wolves ran toward Fox, who was inconspicuously sweeping away the footprints in the snow. As soon as he saw the Wolves, he stopped sweeping the snow and looked at them, hunching back slightly almost instinctively.

"Greetings, gents." Fox said genially as the Wolves snarled and circled him, as though circling their prey. "Lost something, have we?"

"Don't patronize me!" Maugrim snarled. "I know where you allegiance lies. We're looking for some humans."

"Humans? Here in Narnia?" Fox asked laughing, seemingly at the absurdity of the comment.

Up in a tall tree behind him, the four humans in question and two Beavers sat in the highest braches. Hidden by the shroud of night's darkness as well as the branches below, they watched the scene fearfully.

"Now, that's a valuable bit of information, don't you think?" Fox asked.

Another Wolf snarled and pounced on Fox, clamping his jaw on the Fox's back. Fox yelped in pain at the bite as he was lifted off the ground by the Wolf. Up in the tree, Lucy gasped in shock and fear. Peter quickly clamped his hand over her mouth to keep her from giving away their location, Susan and Mrs. Beaver doing the same with Della and Mr. Beaver respectively.

"Your reward is your life." Maugrim snarled menacingly. He chuckled darkly before adding, "It's not much, but still. Where are the fugitives?"

Fox whimpered in pain, looking down at the ground while the Wolves snarled. For several tense seconds, the humans and the Beavers watched with baited breath, waiting for Fox's response.

"North." Fox gasped finally, pain echoing in his voice. "They ran north."

"Smell them out." Maugrim growled to the Wolves, who promptly ran in the direction they were told.

The Wolf holding Mr. Fox tossed him to the side before following the others with Maugrim. Fox landed on the ground with a thud, yelping in pain. He raised his head, trying to turn so that he could give the all clear to those hiding in the tree, but the pain washing over him was too great and he lost consciousness, going limp.

The four humans and the two Beavers scrambled down the tree after waiting for a few seconds and hurried to Fox, Della reaching first and skidding to her knees beside him. She gently reached out to the limp animal and felt his neck, checking for a pulse.

"He's alive." She said, breathing a sigh of relief and looking at the others. "I'm not a vet so I can't be sure, but I think he's just unconscious. Probably from the pain."

"We need to clean his wounds and get a fire going." Mrs. Beaver said, taking charge. "Beaver, Peter, gather wood for a fire, Susan, Lucy, look through the bags for medical supplies, Della, you can help me tend to Fox's wound."

With nods, they all split up and began carrying out their assigned tasks. Before long, Mr. Beaver and Peter had a small fire going while Della and Mrs. Beaver tended to Fox's wounds. A few minutes after they started tending to him, Fox regained consciousness, much to their relief. Mr. Beaver introduced the humans to the Fox, giving him Della's first name rather than her preferred one.

"What happened to the Badgers?" Susan asked after a few moments of silence.

She was sitting on a stool on one side of the fire beside Lucy with Mr. Beaver and Peter on the ground next to them. Della and Mrs. Beaver sat next to Fox on the other side of the fire, cleaning out and treating his bite wounds.

"They were helping Tumnus. The Witch got here before I did." Fox replied, before groaning in pain as Della began stitching his skin. "Ow! Oh!"

"Are you all right?" Lucy asked quietly.

"Well, I wish I could say their bark was worse than their bite." Fox said bitterly. "Ow!" he yelped, squirming.

"Stop squirming!" Della exclaimed in exasperation, a concentrating frown on her face as she tried to stitch the Fox's wounds. "I've never actually stitched a living being before! Please don't make this harder than it already is."

"You're worse than Beaver on bath day." Mrs. Beaver added, shaking her head.

"Worse day of the year." Mr. Beaver stage-whispered, causing the girls to giggle.

"How do you know how to stitch wounds?" Susan asked Della curiously.

"Well, Dad's a doctor, Mum's a nurse. So I learned a lot while at the hospital after school, the nurses teaching me all sorts of things." Della replied, glancing at Susan for a moment before returning to her task. "Besides, I like to read and there is only so many times you can read the same novels before becoming completely bored. So to keep me from getting bored, which usually means a lot of trouble for everyone else, Mum, Dad, Grandpa and the others give me some of their texts to read, be it law books, medical books, political science books. Frankly, I'll read just about anything."

"Thank you for your kindness, My Queen, Mrs. Beaver, but I'm afraid that's all the cure I have time for." Fox said a few seconds later, getting to his feet after Della tied off the last stitch and broke the thread with her teeth.

"You're leaving?" Lucy asked in unison, looking at the Fox in surprise.

"We only just got you stitched up!" Della cried, looking at the Fox in worry. "You're going to tear the stitches if you're not careful!"

"It has been a pleasure, My Queens, and an honor," The Fox started, bowing to Lucy and Della in turns before straightening once more. "But time is short and Aslan himself asked me to gather more troops."

"You've seen Aslan?" Mr. Beaver said in amazement.

"What's he like?" Mrs. Beaver asked with an astonished gasp.

"Like everything we've ever heard." Fox replied with a smile. He turned to the four humans. "You'll be glad to have him by your side in the battle against the Witch."

"But we're not planning on fighting any witch." Susan said insistently, looking at the Fox.

"But surely, King Peter, the prophecy!" Fox exclaimed, turning to the oldest of the humans.

"We can't go to war without you." Mr. Beaver said quietly, looking at the blonde boy.

Peter exchanged looks with Susan, who had an expression that clearly said she wasn't changing her mind about fighting the Witch.

"We just want Edmund back." Peter said helplessly, tossing some more twigs into the fire.

"Queen Asherah?" Fox said, looking at Della hopefully.

"I'll do what I can to help you." Della said with a gentle smile. "But I also want Edmund back, I want him safe. Him and Mr. Tumnus."

The Fox smiled at her, him and the Beavers seeing something in her face that the humans didn't see. Exchanging one last meaningful glance with the Beavers, he turned and vanished into the night.

"We should get some sleep." Mrs. Beaver said softly after a while. "We have a long day tomorrow. You children will need all your strength."

Della and Lucy, who were already nodding off in their seated positions, needed no further encouragement to lay down and curl up next to each other. Between one heart beat to the next, the two were fast asleep, their expressions peaceful and free of the worry that had plagued them for the past several hours.

Peter and Susan curled up beside the girls, Peter next to Lucy and Susan next to Della. However, unlike the two girls between them, they were unable to sleep despite their exhaustion. Peter sighed and looked up at the sky, looking at the stars the shone against the night sky.

"Peter? Are you awake?" Susan called softly, raising her head and looking at her older brother.

"Yeah." Peter sighed. "I can't sleep. I'm too worried about Edmund."

"Me, too." Susan sighed, turning on her back and looking at the sky as well. "I'm scared that we'll be too late. That he'll already be…" She trailed off, unable to continue.

Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, who were curled nearby, exchanged looks as they listened to the two talk quietly.

"Edmund is alive." Mrs. Beaver said. "That much, we are certain."

"How do you know?" Peter asked, raising his head and looking at the Beavers.

"When the prophecies were told, it was also told that the Daughter of the Seas' personal destiny is closely tied with a Son of Adam." Mr. Beaver said gently, looking at the two siblings. "The one whose star was born 14 years ago."

"Edmund?" Peter and Susan whispered in unison, barely remembering to keep their voices low.

They looked at the Beavers then down at the sleeping red-head curled up against their youngest sister. They looked at each other in astonishment before looking back at the Beavers, who had amused expressions on their faces at the reactions.

"Yes, Edmund." Mr. Beaver said nodding. "So long as Della is alive, we know that Edmund is too, for neither can live without the other."

"Try and get some sleep." Mrs. Beaver said, ending the conversation. "We have a long day tomorrow."

Susan and Peter nodded and lay back down, their thoughts swirling with the new information they had been given. Both suddenly realized that their protective feelings towards Della made so much sense, especially since they had technically met her less than a week earlier – she was meant to be a part of their family.


	10. Winter's Nearing End

**Chapter 9: Winter's Nearing End**

The next morning, they were all woken up early by the Beavers and, after a hurried breakfast, resumed their journey to Aslan's camp. They walked for a few hours until they reached the top of a large mountain that overlooked a good portion of the snowy land.

"Now, Aslan's camp is near the Stone Table." Mr. Beaver said as they looked out across the snowy and frozen land. "Just across the frozen river."

"River?" Peter repeated in alarm.

"Oh, the river's been frozen solid for a hundred years." Mrs. Beaver said reassuringly.

"That doesn't actually make me feel better." Della said with a frown, looking out at the wide expanse before them.

"That's because of your connection to Narnia." Mr. Beaver said gently, looking at the redhead.

"It's so far." Peter said with a touch of despair in his tone, looking out at the horizon.

"It's the world, dear." Mrs. Beaver said, looking at him. "Did you expect it to be small?"

"Small_er_." Susan said, looking at Peter with a slight glare.

Peter sighed, looking back at the horizon once more before following Mr. and Mrs. Beaver down the hill. As they walked across the frozen and snow-capped terrain, Peter and Susan held tight to Della and Lucy's hands to keep them from falling behind. Before long, they left the hills and trees behind them and began crossing a wide terrain of flat snowy land, barren of any form of life. The ground was covered in snow, the glare from the sun's reflection making the white terrain seem even brighter.

The trek was slow-going, the humans completely exhausted from the amount of walking they had done over the past few hours. Even Della was exhausted, and she was used to long hours of physical activity from the few months of being in the country every year.

"Come on, humans! While we're still young." Mr. Beaver called back to the four exhausted humans for what had to be the millionth time.

The small group was about halfway through the barren field, the humans progressively moving slower and slower as the hours passed. Not only were all four of them getting tired, the Pevensie's cheeks were flushed red from the biting cold, their coats wrapped around them tightly. Della and the Beavers were the only ones unaffected by the chill.

"If he tells us to hurry one more time," Peter said quietly, crouching so Lucy could climb onto his back again. "I'm going to turn him into a big fluffy hat."

Peter had alternated between carrying Lucy and Della on his back for short periods of time, the two girls far too short to be able to keep up on their own, despite Della's athletic prowess. Though because of Della's athletic capabilities, Peter spent more time carrying Lucy than he did Della.

The three girls giggled as Peter straightened up once more and they resumed walking.

"Hurry up!" Mr. Beaver called. "Come on!"

"He is getting a little bossy." Lucy muttered.

"No! Behind you!" Mrs. Beaver yelled, suddenly frantic. "It's her!"

They turned and looked behind them, their eyes widening in fear at the sight of the sleigh coming towards them.

"Run! Run!" Mr. Beaver yelled.

"Run!" Peter yelled.

He put Lucy down, took her hand and began running behind the Beavers. Susan took Della's hand and the two girls ran beside Peter and Lucy.

Running towards the trees on the other side of the large field, their exhaustion faded as fear and adrenaline coursed through their veins, driving them to run as fast as they could. Behind them, they could hear the jingling of the sleigh bells getting louder as their pursuer closed in on them. They panted for breath, glancing behind them and seeing the sleigh get closer, driving them to run faster.

"Hurry!" Peter shouted as they entered the tree line.

They ran through the trees, dodging the protruding branches and glancing behind them to catch sight of the sleigh.

"Inside!" Mr. Beaver ordered, skidding to a stop above a small cave-like alcove unseen from a distance. Mrs. Beaver leading them, the four humans hurried inside one after the other. "Dive! Dive!" Mr. Beaver urged them, sliding in last behind Peter.

"Quick! Quick, quick, quick!" Mrs. Beaver whispered frantically as the leaned back against the wall of the alcove, the Beavers on either side of the humans.

Above them, they heard the jingling of the sleigh-bells as the sleigh came to a stop. Della and Lucy grabbed Peter and Susan's hands, holding tightly as they listened with baited breath, each of them hoping that they hadn't been seen. Della put her free hand on her chest, feeling her heart beat rapidly within its cage. They looked up in fear at the sound of a quiet thud, Susan and Peter tightening their holds on Lucy and Della. The two girls gasped quietly when they saw a dark shadow reflected against a snow covered boulder in front of them. Lucy whimpered and Peter tightened his hold on her comfortingly. The shadowed figure walked away and they heard the sleigh-bells jingle for a moment before everything fell silent.

"Maybe she's gone." Lucy suggested quietly after a few seconds passed in complete silence.

"I suppose I'll go look." Peter whispered, starting to move.

"No!" Mr. Beaver whispered. "You're worth nothing to Narnia dead."

"Well, neither are you, Beaver." Mrs. Beaver said, looking at her husband with worry when he made a move to go and look.

"Thanks, sweetheart." Mr. Beaver said fondly, patting her paw with his own.

With one last look at the five of them, he climbed out of the alcove to find out if the Witch was gone. Della, Lucy, Susan and Peter looked at each other in fear as Mrs. Beaver whimpered in fear at the silence that echoed around them. There was a rustling sound above them and they looked up, holding onto each other in fear.

"What's that? What's-?" Della asked in a whisper.

"Shh, shh, shh." Susan whispered, cutting Della off before she could say anything else.

Della whimpered in fear, hearing footsteps above them. Susan held her close, giving her what comfort she could despite her own overwhelming fear. Suddenly, Mr. Beaver popped his head into the alcove, a wide grin on his furry face. His sudden appearance caused Lucy and Della to shriek loudly in alarm.

"Come out! Come out!" He exclaimed excitedly. "I hope you've all been good 'cause there's someone here to see ya!"

Mr. Beaver pulled his head back out and the rest of them exchanged looks of confusion. They slowly climbed out of the alcove, Peter and Susan holding Lucy and Della's hands, and stopped abruptly at the sight that greeted them, their eyes widening in shock.

A tall bearded man in a long red coat stood in front of a sleigh, watching them with a wide smile.

"This place gets cooler by the minute!" Della exclaimed, completely forgetting her fear.

Father Christmas chuckled brightly at her comment and at the astonished expressions on Peter and Susan's faces.

"Merry Christmas, sir." Lucy said with a bight smile, her and Della letting go of Peter and Susan's hands and stepping forward.

"It certainly is, Lucy, since you have arrived." Father Christmas said nodding.

"Look, I've put up with a lot since I got here, but this…" Susan said to Peter in exasperation, trailing off.

"We thought you were the Witch." Peter explained apologetically, giving Susan a pointed look before turning to Father Christmas.

"Yeah, we're sorry about that." Della said, wincing apologetically and looking up at the tall man.

"Yes, yes, I too am sorry about that." Father Christmas said, looking just as apologetic while removing his gloves. "But in my defense, I've been driving one of these longer than the Witch."

"I thought there was no Christmas in Narnia." Susan said thoughtfully, stepping forward.

"No. Not for a long time." Father Christmas replied softly. "But the hope you have brought, Your Majesties, is finally starting to weaken the Witch's power." He looked at Della as he added, "You have begun to feel it, haven't you, Queen Asherah?"

"Yeah, I think so." Della said ponderingly, her brows furrowed lightly. "I don't feel quite so restless anymore. I mean, I am still uneasy, but it's not so over whelming as it was a few days ago, or even yesterday. Is that what you mean?"

"Yes, Asherah, that is exactly what I mean." Father Christmas replied, nodding. "Still, I dare say you could do with these."

He turned and reached into his sleigh, pulling out a massive red bulging sack and dropping it on the ground by his feet.

"Presents!" Lucy and Della exclaimed in unison happily, bright smiles crossing their faces.

Father Christmas chuckled as he withdrew two items from the sack and held them up to Lucy.

"The juice of the Fire-Flower." He said, bending down and looking at Lucy as he held up a Cordial filled with red liquid. "One drop will cure any injury." Lucy took the cordial from him and looked at it as he continued, "And though I hope you never have to use it…" He trailed off as he handed her a small dagger.

"Thank you, sir, but I think I can be brave enough." Lucy said, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

"I'm sure you could." Father Christmas said gently. "Battles are ugly affairs."

He smiled at her and she stepped back, examining her new gifts. He reached into his sack and pulled out another item, a bow and quiver of arrows.

"Susan." He said and the dark-haired girl stepped forward. He handed her the present's saying, "Trust in this bow and it will not easily miss."

She looked at the items that were handed to her in wonder before looking up at the man who gave them to her.

"What happened to 'battles are ugly affairs'?" She asked him, causing him to chuckle.

"Though you don't seem to have a problem making yourself heard, blow on this." Father Christmas said, holding out a beautiful white horn. "And where ever you are, help will come."

"Thanks." Susan whispered, looking up at him and smiling.

"Asherah." He said as Susan stepped back. Della stepped forward as Father Christmas withdrew another item from his sack. "Take this sceptre and use it as a channel for your powers. Remember, your powers do not come from the sceptre, rather from inside you. Trust in your heart, and it will guide you to where you are meant to be."

He handed Della a beautiful silver sceptre that was 2 ½ feet in length, a large light blue gem at the top with water seemingly swirling inside*.

"Thank you, sir." Della said, looking up at him with a radiant smile, taking the sceptre.

The moment she wrapped her fingers around the silver rod, she felt a wave of power wash through her, a corresponding gentle breeze blowing around them.

"What was that?" Susan asked in wonder, the breeze ruffling their hair gently.

"That was a taste of Asherah's power." Father Christmas replied, glancing at Susan before looking down at Della with a gentle smile.

Della gasped when the sceptre began to glow a soft silvery-blue light before disappearing entirely.

"What happened? What did I do?" She asked, panicked.

"Your sceptre isn't needed at the moment, and has therefore resumed its resting state." Father Christmas said, chuckling at the near panic on Della's face. The girl breathed a sigh of relief. "It has taken the form of a ring on your right index finger."

He gestured to her right hand and Della held it up, gasping in awe at the beautiful ring that adorned her finger. It was a simple vintage style silver ring with a blue gem identical to the one in her sceptre in the middle, leaf designs with small white diamonds on either side of the gem*.

"To call upon the sceptre, you need only focus your thoughts and it will be within your grasp." Father Christmas told her. "And though I hope that you, too, will never have to use this…" He trailed off as he handed her a dagger identical to Lucy's.

"Thank you, sir." Della said. "I won't let you down."

"I know you won't." He said as Della stepped back, examining her new gifts. "Peter." Peter stepped forward as Father Christmas took two items out of his sack and handed them to the blond boy. "The time to use these may be near at hand."

Peter took the sword and the shield that were handed to him. He drew the sword and held it up, staring as the sun's rays glinted off the sharp blade.

"Thank you, sir." Peter said, admiring the blade.

"These are tools, not toys." Father Christmas warned them in a serious voice. "Bear them well and wisely." Peter sheathed his sword as Father Christmas continued, "Now, I must be off. Winter is almost over."

"Things sure do pile up when you've been gone for a hundred years." Della commented, watching Father Christmas heave the bulging sack back into the sleigh.

"Indeed, they do." Father Christmas chuckled, turning to look at them. "Long Live Aslan!" He climbed into the sleigh and took the reigns. "And Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas!" Lucy and Della called back as he shook the reigns and urged the reindeer-pulled sleigh forward, soon disappearing from sight.

"See you next year!" Susan yelled.

"Merry Christmas!" Peter called.

"Told you he was real." Lucy said to Susan with a satisfied grin on her face at being proven right once again.

"He said 'winter was almost over'." Peter said ponderingly, drawing the girls' attention to him. His eyes widened in realization as he looked at them. "You know what that means."

"Oh, no!" Della exclaimed, her own eyes widening with realization. "No more ice!"

The children quickly strapped their weapons onto their chests and waists, their need to get to the river before the ice melted speeding their movements. Mr. and Mrs. Beaver wasted no time leading the children to the river, reaching a few minutes later at a fast run. They stopped at the top of the falls, staring in horror at the river that began to flow once again. As they watched, more and more ice continued cracking away and floating down the river.

"We need to cross, now!" Peter yelled, trying to be heard over the rushing water.

"Don't beavers make dams?" Lucy asked Mr. Beaver.

"I'm not that fast, dear." Mr. Beaver replied.

"Come on!" Peter called, holding Lucy and Della's hands and pulling them along behind him.

"Wait! Will you just think about this for a minute?" Susan cried out, stopping them in their tracks.

"We don't have a minute!" Peter said loudly turning back to look at her, still holding Della and Lucy's hands.

"I'm just trying to be realistic." Susan said defensively.

"No, you're trying to be smart. As usual." Peter retorted, causing Susan to glare at him.

"Both of you, shut up." Della yelled. "Just like we don't have time to actually _think_ about what we're doing, we also don't have time for the two of you to argue." The two older siblings looked at her and she rolled her eyes. "Frozen river becoming not so frozen and us being on the wrong side of said river. Ringing any bells?"

Peter sighed and turned around, slowly making his way down the falls with the two girls holding onto him. Susan, who had stayed where she was, looked up when she heard the Wolves howling echo through the valley.

"Susan, come on!" Della yelled, hearing the howls.

Susan quickly followed them down the falls, all of them grunting and clinging to each other as they slipped and slid on the wet and icy path. They reached the riverbank and Peter stepped on an ice block in front of sunk down slightly and he scrambled back to avoid being draw in to the frigid water.

"Wait. Maybe I should go first." Mr. Beaver suggested.

"Yeah, maybe you should." Peter replied, panting slightly.

Mr. Beaver proceeded to walk across the still frozen part of the river, tapping the ice with his feet and his tail.

"You've been sneaking second helpings, haven't you?" Mrs. Beaver asked her husband.

"Well, you never know which meal's gonna be your last." Mr. Beaver replied with a sheepish grin. "Especially with your cooking."

Peter stepped on the ice again, giving a sigh of relief when it didn't sink down. He took Lucy's hand and she followed carefully right behind him. Della followed Lucy with Susan right behind the redhead. Mrs. Beaver walked carefully beside Susan. They walked carefully across the ice, Della and Lucy shrieking when it creaked and shifted beneath their feet.

"If Mum knew what we were doing…" Susan started, trailing off as she jumped onto another block off ice halfway across the river, the one she was on floating down the river.

"Mum's not here." Peter snapped, throwing a glare at the dark-haired girl.

"Not the time, you two!" Della yelled.

She threw up her hands instinctively when a spray of water burst through a crack in the frozen falls, stopping the frigid river water from spraying them.

"You really do have powers." Susan said, looking between the redhead and the spray of water that was being held back with wide eyes.

"Apparently." Della replied, manipulating the water over their heads and into the river, pushing aside her amazement at actually seeing the powers she was told about, and following the Pevensie's over the ice.

"Oh, no!" Lucy shouted, looking up at the top of the falls.

Following her gaze, Della bit back a scream at the sight of the Wolves walking across the frozen falls.

"Run!" Peter yelled, taking Lucy's hand and running over the ice, Susan taking Della's hand and doing the same.

"Hurry!" Susan yelled as they jumped from block to block.

The Wolves made their way down the falls, two stopping in front of them on the ice. Maugrim growled menacingly at them, causing Lucy and Della to shriek in fear. Peter and Susan put their arms around the two girls protectively, huddling closer together and looking around to see the rest of the Wolves surrounding them from both sides of the river.

"We're trapped." Della said, looking between the Wolves and standing in front of Susan and holding onto Peter with Lucy holding to him on his other side.

_Links (on pinterest):_

_*Della's sceptre - .ca/pin/634444666230445139/_

_*Della's ring (sceptre's resting state) - .ca/pin/628815166695515210/_


	11. Aslan's Camp

**Chapter 10: Aslan's Camp**

Mr. Beaver darted forward raised his paw menacingly, trying to scare the Wolves without any luck. The Wolf beside Maugrim growled and pounced on Mr. Beaver, holding him in place with his jaw.

"No!" Mrs. Beaver screamed in fear.

"Peter!" Lucy cried in fear.

Peter drew his sword and aimed it at Maugrim. Above them, ice began falling in chunks from the top of the frozen falls.

"Put that down, boy." Maugrim growled, stepping forward. "Someone could get hurt."

"Don't worry about me!" Mr. Beaver yelled, struggling in the Wolf's jaw. "Run him through!"

"Leave now while you can, and your brother leaves with you." Maugrim offered.

"Stop, Peter! Maybe we should listen to him!" Susan yelled when peter didn't lower his sword.

"Smart girl." Maugrim said with a chuckle.

Della frowned, not liking the sudden offer that was being given. She looked between Peter, Susan and Maugrim, fear and terror gripping her heart.

_"What do I do?"_ She thought to herself._ "How can I be their Protector when I'm so scared?"_ She glanced down at the river, the part of it that was flowing free and no longer frozen. It was as though time slowed to a near standstill as she looked at her reflection, taking in the thick ringlet dark auburn red hair, the blue eyes that currently reflected the colour of the raging river, the snow-white skin and the tiny figure._ "I can't even keep Edmund from walking into the Witch's trap, how can I protect the rest of them?"_

_"Trust in your heart, my Daughter."_ She heard a voice say at the back of her mind. _"Trust in the strength and love of your friends. Trust in your heart."_

"No, it's a trap!" Della yelled, looking away from the river and up at Peter and Susan. It was as though time began moving at a steady pace once again. "Think about it, Susan! Earlier, they were all gung-ho about killing us, and now they're willing to let us go? The Witch wants all of us dead!"

"Della's right, Peter!" Mr. Beaver yelled. "Don't listen to him! Kill him! Kill him now!"

"Oh, come on." Maugrim sighed, stepping closer to Peter. "This isn't your war. All my Queen wants is for you to take your family and go."

"Look, just because some man in a red coat hands you a sword, it doesn't make you a hero!" Susan yelled at Peter. "Just drop it!"

"What ever you do Peter, do not drop your sword!" Della yelled in contradiction before turning and looking up at Susan. "Susan, you pride yourself on being logical, so use that logical head of yours! The White Witch have been trying to kill us since almost the moment we arrived. Why would she suddenly decide to let us go? I want Edmund back just like you do, maybe not as much as you do since I just met him, but I _do_ want him back! But Maugrim's offer is just another way to try and kill us."

Maugrim looked at Della and growled menacingly at her. Della pushed aside her fear and glared fiercely back, stretching out her hand toward the river and flicking her wrist. She made a tendril of water rise up and sent it to Maugrim, hitting him in the face.

"Protector of Narnia." Maugrim growled, looking at Della menacingly and shaking the water out of his fur.

"That's me." Della replied, glaring at him. She looked at Peter, speaking calmly. "Narnia needs you Peter. Narnia needs all of us."

"Gut him while you still have a chance!" Mr. Beaver yelled, still in the Wolf's grip.

"What's it gonna be, Son of Adam?" Maugrim asked. "I won't wait forever. And neither will the river."

Hearing a rumbling above them, Lucy looked up and her eyes widened in horror.

"Peter!" She yelled.

Peter, Susan and Della looked at the falls and saw more cracks appear in the ice, larger than the previous one, water spraying through each of them. Della turned to face the falls and threw her hands in the air, stopping the water from coming through the cracks, gritting her teeth from exertion.

"Peter! You need to make a choice, now!" She yelled through her gritted teeth. "I can't hold the water back for long!"

It was true. The water pressure was rapidly building up between the cracks of ice, held back by an invisible force field. Small sprays were already bursting through as Della struggled to hold the frigid water back.

"Hold on to me!" Peter yelled, taking his sword and slamming the pointed tip into the block of ice they were standing on.

Susan, Mrs. Beaver and Lucy held onto him tightly as he knelt down in front of his sword, holding the hilt with both hands.

"Della!" Susan yelled, seeing the girl still standing with her hands outstretched at the falls.

One hand still holding Peter, Susan wrapped her other arms around Della's waist to keep a hold of her. Della panted from the strain as the invisible force field disappeared and sent the water gushing forth. Lucy and Susan screamed as the wave of water crashed over them and propelled them forward, soaking them to the bone.

Della and Mrs. Beaver dove into the water while Susan and Lucy held onto Peter, who held tightly on his sword.

"Della!" Lucy yelled, not seeing her friend.

Della swam to the surface of the river, appearing in front of the three siblings.

"I'm right here." She said with a smile, wrapping her hand over Peter's larger one while using her other hand to propel them along the river.

Lucy yelped as she slid on the ice and Peter grabbed her, pulling her back up next to him before grabbing his sword once again, this time his hand wrapped over Della's. Mr. and Mrs. Beaver appeared beside the humans and took over propelling them towards the riverbank. Lucy slipped out of her coat and back beneath the water surface, unnoticed by anyone except Della. She let her hand slip out from under Peter's grip, the boy not noticing with how numb his hand was, and dove under the surface. She quickly found Lucy and swam towards her, eternally grateful for her swimming lessons. Della grabbed Lucy from behind and beneath the underarms, pulling her back against her chest and swam upwards to the surface.

Resurfacing a few feet from the riverbank, Della's strength began to wane as she propelled them towards the icy shore.

"Hold on, Lu." Della said to the shivering girl clinging to her, ignoring her own weakening body. "We're almost there."

Della could hear Susan yelling for the two of them but couldn't respond, more focused on getting to shore. Reaching the bank, she climbed up and crawled away from the edge, Lucy beside her.

"Lucy!" Susan yelled.

"Della!" Peter yelled.

"We're over here!" Della yelled back, her and Lucy getting to their feet.

Glancing down at her soaked through light blue dress, she was suddenly incredibly glad she was wearing a petticoat underneath as the light blue material left absolutely nothing to the imagination. The dress clung to her like a second skin, revealing the blue petticoat she wore underneath that hid most of her body from sight.

"Has anyone seen my coat?" Lucy asked, wrapping her soaking wet cardigan around her and shivering from the frigid temperature of the water.

They walked towards Susan and Peter, both looking utterly relieved to see them. Peter wrapped the wet coat around Lucy, who smiled up at him.

"You're both okay." Susan said with a relieved smile.

"Della saved me." Lucy told them, turning everyone's attention to Della.

Della blushed under their gazes and smiled at them.

"Thank you." Susan said, drawing Della into a hug.

"Yes, thank you for saving Lucy." Peter said, putting his arms around Lucy and watching Susan hug Della.

"And I don't think you'll be needing those coats anymore." Mrs. Beaver said, looking at the trees.

Susan pulled back from Della, her arms still around the younger girl, and looked towards the trees, Peter and Lucy doing the same. They let out gasps of wonder at the beautiful sight before them, the snow on the trees beginning to melt as small pink and purple flowers bloomed along the branches.

"It's beautiful." Della breathed as they began to walk through the trees, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver leading the way, paws linked.

Further into the forest, the three Pevensie siblings removed their heavy winter coats, not needing them anymore. As they hung the coats on some nearby branches, Della, not having any strength left, sagged to the grassy ground and let the darkness overtake her.

"Della!" Lucy yelled in alarm, the first one to see the girl fall.

"Oh, my God! Della!" Susan yelled, running to the girl.

Peter patted her cheek gently, drawing a moan from the girl as her eyes fluttered open. She tried to sit up but sagged against Peter, not having any strength.

"What happened?" She asked weakly, squinting at them. "And since when where there two of each of you?"

Peter and Susan exchanged looks, not liking the sound of what they had heard.

"You used too much of your magic in one go." Mr. Beaver said gently, explaining the redhead's state to them. "You did it without the use of your sceptre, which made the stress on your body even worse."

"You should be okay in a few hours," Mrs. Beaver said gently, drawing sighs of relief from the four humans. "Though I wouldn't suggest walking anymore."

"Then how do we get to Aslan's camp?" Della asked, looking in the direction of Mrs. Beaver's voice and squinting, trying to figure out which of the two she was seeing was the real one.

"I'll carry you." Peter said firmly. "I carried you when we were walking across the barren field, I can carry you while walking through a forest."

"At least this time Peter won't have a heavy coat in the way." Lucy said helpfully, a relieved look on her face.

"Okay." Della said with a shrug, putting her arms around Peter's neck as he put one arm under her knees and the other behind her shoulder blades and slowly got to his feet. "But you drop me, and there will be hell to pay." She warned sternly as they began walking.

Peter laughed in response, though knowing the girl meant what she had said. He may have only known her for a few days, but he knew she didn't make idle threats.

They walked for a few hours, enjoying the sight and sounds of their surroundings, Della's strength slowly returning. Eventually, as they began seeing the campsite's flags and tents in the distance, she became strong enough to walk on her own, though Lucy kept a firm hold of her hand, still frightened by the sight of her collapsing. By that point, Susan and Lucy had lost their cardigans and Della had lost the pins holding her hair back as well. Susan's hair was still pinned back on one side, somehow still staying relatively intact during their swim in the frigid river.

A horn sounded, announcing their arrival, as they drew closer and entered the campsite. Della, hearing a rustling behind her turned around, Lucy doing the same. They smiled in amazement when they saw a Dryad, made entirely of pink leaves and petals, form into a young woman and wave at them.

They waved back, smiles on their faces, before turning and quickly following Susan and Peter, Mr. and Mrs. Beaver walking beside the older two children.

"That was cool." Della said with an almost squeal as her and Lucy hurried to catch up with Susan, Peter and the Beavers.

"Yeah, it was." Lucy said, the two girls holding hands once more.

They walked through the campsite in a straight row, Peter on one end with Susan next to him, followed by Lucy, Della and then the Beavers, the crowd watching them with awe and murmuring amongst themselves. There were Centaurs, Fauns, Animals of all kinds – Jaguars, Bears, Horses, Dogs – along with Dwarves, Satyrs, among many others, all watching the small group, the four humans in particular, as they walked through the camp.

"Why are they all staring at us?" Susan asked, hiding her question behind a smile and not moving her lips.

"Maybe they think _you_ look funny." Lucy chirped with a grin, looking up at the older dark haired girl next to her.

Della laughed while Peter grinned at the response, Susan rolling her eyes. Mrs. Beaver self-consciously began patting down her fur, trying to make herself look more presentable in the face of such a crowd.

"Oi, stop your fussing. You look lovely." Mr. Beaver said to her, putting a paw around her shoulders.

"Mr. Beaver's right." Della said, looking down at the female Beaver with a smile.

Mrs. Beaver smiled back bashfully as they approached a large tent that was slightly set apart from the others and was the largest in the camp, the large crowd gathering behind them. A Centaur, with a lightly tanned torso, a black equine body and long black hair, stood near the tent in almost guard-like position.

The four humans and two Beavers walked forward and stopped a few feet away from the tent, the crowd stopping a few feet behind them. The crowd watched with anticipation as Peter drew his sword and held it up. The blond boy looked at the Centaur nervously, but held his sword firmly and let the bright sunlight glint off the steel blade.

"We have come to see Alsan." Peter announced, successfully managing to keep his nervousness out of his voice though it was clear on his face.

The Centaur nodded at Peter and turned to look at the tent. Peter, Susan, Lucy and Della turned to look at the tent as well. At the sound of movement behind them, the four humans looked back and saw the large crowd kneeling down to the ground, or in the Centaurs' case bowing. They looked back at the tent and watched as one large golden paw emerged from the tent flaps followed by a large golden Lion. Della smiled as a sense of warmth filled her, momentarily overpowering the residual restlessness she was still feeling. Without realizing it, Lucy and Della let go of each others hands, letting their arms drop to their sides. Della gazed at the Lion, his fur and mane a brilliant gold that mirrored the sun and his cat-eyes dark brown that mirrored dark chocolate. She felt the strangest feeling as though she had met the Lion before, but she just couldn't remember when as if the memory was just out of her reach.

Seeing movement from her peripheral vision, she saw Peter kneel on the ground, his sword point down in front of him, with Susan and Lucy following suit. She knelt as well, all four of them looking to the ground in front of Aslan.

"Welcome, Peter, Son of Adam." Aslan said in a deep timeless voice. At his name, Peter raised his head and looked at the Lion. "Welcome, Susan, Lucy and Asherah, Daughters of Eve." The girls looked up when their names were called, the two youngest smiling sweetly at the Lion. "And welcome to you, Beavers. You have my thanks." The Beavers looked up at smiled at the Lion who looked at all six of them. "But where is the fifth?"

Lucy and Della lost their smiles as they got to their feet.

"That's why we're here, sir." Peter said, looking at the Lion as he sheathed his sword. "We need your help."

"We had a little trouble along the way." Susan said hesitantly.

"A lot of trouble, actually." Della said with a small wince, remembering everything that had happened over the past two days.

"Our brother's been captured by the White Witch." Peter said, looking at Aslan.

"Captured?" Aslan repeated. "How could this happen?"

Peter looked down, not knowing how to answer. The girls also looked away from the Lion's penetrating gaze, equally unable to answer.

"He… betrayed them, Your Majesty." Mr. Beaver explained hesitantly.

Behind them, the crowd erupted in murmurs and whispers at the revelation.

"Then he has betrayed us all!" The Centaur that Peter had spoken to exclaimed.

"Oi!" Della shouted, looking up and glaring at him fiercely at his comment, Lucy squeezing her hand calmingly.

"Peace, Oreius. Peace, Asherah." Alsan said. "I'm sure there's an explanation."

"It's my fault, really." Peter said quietly after a moment. "I was too hard on him."

Susan, Lucy and Della looked at the older boy, Susan reaching out and putting a gentle supporting hand on his shoulder.

"We all were." Susan said firmly, looking at Peter for a second before looking at Aslan.

"At least you two didn't hit him." Della muttered. At Lucy's questioning look, she elaborated, "I punched him."

"Sir, he's our brother." Lucy said quietly, pushing her curiosity aside for the moment and turning to the Lion.

"He's my friend, Aslan." Della added, looking at the Lion as well.

At Della's comment about Edmund being her friend, Susan and Peter exchanged looks, as did the Beavers, the four knowing that there was so much more to their relationship. Even if they didn't know it just yet.

"I know, dear ones." Aslan said gently, looking at the two young girls. "But that only makes the betrayal all the worse." He looked at Peter in particular as he said, "This may be harder than you think."

Peter and Susan looked down at the ground, guilt and fear warring inside them.


	12. A Personal Destiny Revealed – Part 2

**Chapter 11: A Personal Destiny Revealed – Part 2**

"Hey, Della? When did you punch Edmund?" Lucy asked in confusion a few minutes later when the four children were being led to the nearby tents by a female Faun. "And, why?"

Susan looked at Della at Lucy's question, wondering the same thing. Peter bit back a snort.

"Remember after we went back following the second trip?" Della asked.

"Yeah." Susan and Lucy said in unison, nodding slowly.

"That was when I hit him." Della said, not elaborating further. Susan and Lucy frowned, not entirely understanding.

"Well, after you ran out crying, Lucy and Susan followed you, Della marched up to Edmund and punched him in the face." Peter said, taking over the explanation and looking at the now blushing red-head with a smirk on his face.

"He made Lucy cry! And called us 'little children'!" Della exclaimed indignantly. "I'm only a year younger than him!"

Peter began chuckling, finding the indignation on the feisty and vivacious red-head's face hilarious. She stuck her tongue out at him and entered the girls' tent, Lucy and Susan behind her. They stopped short and gasped in amazement at the sight that greeted them.

There were three chaises set inside the tent - two opposite each other while the third connected the first two - three full body mirrors set at regular intervals along one side of the tent adjacent to the chaises. A medium sized trunk along with a small vanity-like dresser was set on the ground, each by one mirror.

"Wow, this is beautiful." Susan breathed looking around the tent.

Lucy and Della ran to the chests and opened two of them, gasping at the contents within. There was a wide variety of dresses, shoes, cloaks, jewelry along with grooming products like brushes and hair ties.

"These are for you, Your Majesties." The Faun said in a gentle voice, seeing them marvel at the contents of the chests, causing the girls' eyes to widen.

"Really?" Della asked in amazement, looking at the Faun.

While Della was more accustomed to a certain degree of wealth, minor though it was, than the Pevensie siblings, it had been a long time since she had been able to get new dresses and jewelry. The war made it difficult for everyone, particularly since each of them faced the possibility of losing everything at any time due to the raids – the Pevensie's having narrowly avoided losing their home during the last air raid they had experienced before they made the trip out to the country.

The Faun smiled at them and nodded. The girls needed no further encouragement to change into the Narnian dresses, marveling at the comfortable yet elegant attire. Once Della had changed into her dress the female Faun proceeded to brush and braid her long hair, joined by two others who attended to Susan and Lucy.

"There you are, My Queen." The Faun said to Della with a smile, stepping back.

"Wow, Della, you look beautiful." Lucy said, looking at the red-head with a bright smile.

Della stood up from the vanity dresser and went to the mirror, her eyes widening when she saw her reflection. She had always known that she was pretty with a rather developed figure for a 13-year-old, but the dress and the braids seemed make her look exotic and so much more mature.

She was wearing a floor-length deep purple dress with long fitted sleeves that covered her palms, a wide round neck with a ruffled trim along the neckline, sleeve cuffs and dress hem*. A section of her long hair on either side of her face was tied back away from her face into a braided crown with green wreaths and light purple flowers weaved into the braids, the remainder of her dark auburn red locks were left loose to tumble down her back in wide ringlets*. She had her dagger strapped to its sheath on the red leather belt around her waist and her ring her right index finger. She decided against wearing shoes, enjoying the feel of the warm grass beneath her bare feet.

"I'm going to go walk around for a bit." Della said, looking at the siblings who were still getting dressed.

"Okay. We'll call you when we're getting ready to go to the stream." Susan said, sitting at the vanity as a Faun braided her hair back.

Della nodded and turned around, making her way out of the tent. She walked through the campsite, enjoying the warm breeze blow around her and ease some of her returned restlessness. All around her, the Narnians looked up from their work and bowed to her as she passed them by and she waved in response. She soon found herself on a grassy outcropping overlooking the camp and sat down, her skirt pooled around her.

She sighed quietly as she looked out at the sea of red and red-toned tents interspersed with Narnian flags fluttering gently in the breeze. She raised her hand and looked at the ring on her right index finger, the resting state of her sceptre, wondering if she had the strength to protect the Pevensie's, to protect Narnia. She wondered about her feelings regarding Edmund, what it was that made her feel was though her heart was shattering when she realized that he had lied to Peter and Susan about having been to Narnia, why her heart wrenched in fear for his safety. She wondered about her birth father, why he had left her and her mother, why she had been told that he was dead.

"Why did he leave us?" She asked herself quietly. "Why did Mum tell me he died?"

"He left to protect you, dear one." An ancient voice said from behind her, startling her.

She whipped around and saw Aslan walking up to her, a gentle look in his eyes as he looked at her.

"Aslan!" She exclaimed, a hand on her heart as she calmed her frantic heartrate. "You frightened me."

Aslan chuckled, a deep rumbling sound emanating from his chest.

"Forgive me, my child. I did not mean to frighten you." He said, the chuckles slowing down until they faded completely.

"It's okay." Della said with a smile, turning back to look at the sea of tents in front of them. She sighed, processing what he had said when he snuck up on her. "What did you mean when you said that my father left to protect me?"

"When you were born, your father, Nereus, knew your destiny as Narnia's Protector." Aslan began, sitting back on his hunches next to her and looking out at the sea of tents. "He knew that if he stayed with you and your mother on Earth, the White Witch would be able to find you and she would be able to kill you."

"But why did Mum tell me that he died?"

"That was the story they both agreed on. Your parents and your grandfather all agreed that it would be best if everyone thought he had died."

"You're saying that Mum knew who my birthfather was? And Grandpa knew as well?"

"Yes, child. You grandfather, Digory Kirke, is a Friend of Narnia. He had been to Narnia once before, many years ago." Aslan replied gently. "Nereus told our mother the truth of who he was when he realized that he was in love with her. She accepted him for who he was and their love grew and flourished, ultimately resulting in your birth. However, he knew he couldn't stay, not without putting you at great risk."

"So, he left." Della said quietly, her tone sad. "Does he know that Mum met Dad and fell in love with him, got married to him?"

"Yes, Nereus knows. Your mother gave him her blessing whole-heartedly to return to Narnia just as he gave her his whole-hearted blessing to let herself move on with her life."

"He had been a part of my life hasn't he?" Della asked, looking at Aslan. "All my life, I've always felt at peace and safe in the water, even near water I would feel at peace. I didn't have my powers but he was still there, wasn't he? And today, at the river, I was terrified, it almost consumed me. But he was there, telling me to trust in my heart."

"Yes, he was." Aslan replied, nodding his large golden head. "He has always been with you, lived inside you, even when he wasn't with you."

"Why didn't Grandpa tell me about Narnia? Even as just a story?"

"Because it was too dangerous for you to know before the time came. If you knew before it was time, the Witch could have still found you."

Della sighed and laid back, looking at the sky and the clouds that passed. She thought about Edmund, what condition he was in, if he was safe despite the danger of being the Witch's prisoner.

"Asherah, Edmund is alive." Aslan said gently, looking at the girl and knowing where her mind had wandered.

"How can you know, though?" Della asked, sitting up and looking back at him. "I only just met him, why do I feel this heart-wrenching fear when I think about what he's going through? Why did it feel like my heart was shattering when he lied to Peter and Susan about having come to Narnia?"

"I know Edmund is alive because you are still alive, dear one." Aslan said, answering her first question since it also answered her other questions.

"What do you mean?" Della asked, completely confused. "How can my being alive serve as a certainty that Edmund's alive? And how does it tie in to my feelings?"

"Asherah, yours and Edmund's personal destinies are closely intertwined." Aslan said sighing deeply. He proceeded to tell her about the prophecy regarding the star that was born 14 years ago and the one born beside it a year later. "Neither of you can live without the other."

When he finished talking, he looked at Della finding her staring at him with her jaw hanging open. She was completely shell-shocked at the news she had just been told.

"Okay, let me see if I've got this straight." Della said, finding her voice though it was a slightly higher pitch than normal. "Edmund and I are destined to be together. If he dies, I die, and if I die, he dies. Okay, I can handle that. I think." She looked at Aslan, irritation on her face as she asked, "Do I play a role other than Edmund's destined significant other and Protector of Narnia?"

"While the Pevensie sibling will sit on the thrones at Cair Paravel as Kings and Queens, you will sit with them as the Mediator and the deciding vote between the siblings." Aslan replied soothingly. "You will be the one who mediates between the siblings when they argue, you will be the one who keeps them strong and united."

"But how, Aslan?" Della asked frustrated, playing with a curly lock of her hair. "I'm not a part of their family. I'm just the granddaughter of the man who took them in during the evacuation."

"You have already begun to mediate between them." Aslan reminded her gently. "Remember the river today? Or even last night after Edmund left?" Della nodded, remembering the times he was talking about. "Trust in your heart, dear one, and it will lead you to where you are meant to be."

"Father Christmas told me that." Della said softly. "When he gave me my sceptre and dagger." She sighed and looked at him with a small frown. "Why does it feel like I've met you before? Like I know you?"

"You have met me before, dear girl." Aslan said with a chuckle, an amused gleam in his eyes. "When you were very small. In a forested clearing, out in the country."

Della frowned as a memory crossed her mind, a memory of when she was eight and at the mansion in the country.

"I had run into the forest, crying." She said slowly, a frown on her face as she began remembering. "Aneirin had gotten really sick and we didn't know if he would survive. I couldn't stay in the house and face the possibility of losing him, so I ran when the doctor told us to prepare for the worst. The adults didn't know I was there and was listening to their conversation." She looked up at the Lion. "You were in the clearing when I burst through the treeline."

"You had no fear at the sight of a large Lion in the clearing." Aslan said gently, a smile on his face as he too remembered the incident. "You ran straight to me and wrapped your small arms around my neck, sobbing."

"You calmed me down and told me to believe in my heart." Della continued with a smile. "You also told me that whatever happens, everything happens for a reason."

"Della! Della!" They heard Lucy call from below, amidst the tents.

"They're probably ready to go to the stream." Della said, getting to her feet while Aslan stood up as well. "I should go. I promised to go with them. Thank you for talking with me, Aslan. And for listening."

"I will always be here if you need to talk dear one." Aslan said gently as they began walking back towards the tents. "If you ever wish to hear more about your father, I will be here to tell you about him."

Della nodded in acceptance, though Aslan could see the minute hesitation and uncertainty in her eyes. He watched her as she joined Lucy and Susan, turning and heading towards the nearby stream, knowing she was having a difficult time adjusting from believing her father to be dead to believing that he had walked out on them and finally to learning the truth.

_"A perfect mix of Nereus and her mother."_ Aslan thought to himself, turning around and catching sight of Peter standing on another outcropping, looking out at the sea of tents similar to how Della was a short while earlier.

_Links (on pinterest):_

_*Della Narnian dress (deep purple) - .ca/pin/822188475696372551/_

_*Della hair - .ca/pin/278519558182207393/_


	13. Fun Turns to a Fight

**Chapter 12: Fun Turns to a Fight**

Lucy, Della and Susan arrived at the stream and they put their weapons down against a tree before going to the stream.

"What were you and Aslan talking about?" Lucy asked Della curiously, scooping up some water from the stream and washing her face.

Lucy was wearing a floor-length light blue-grey dress with long lightly belled sleeves, delicate embroidery in a slightly more pastel shade along the neck and bodice. Her hair was braided back like Della's with the same wreaths, but white flowers weaved into it. On her feet, she wore flat open-toed sandals.

"My birth father, my destiny being intertwined Edmund's, the certainty that Edmund is still alive because I'm still alive." Della listed as she washed her own face, not noticing Lucy's shocked expression.

"What do you mean your destiny is intertwined with Edmund's? And knowing him being alive because you're still alive?" Lucy asked, staring at the red-head in complete shock. She and Della turned to Susan, noticing that the older girl wasn't surprised at all. "Did you know?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Beaver told Peter and I last night after the two of you fell asleep." Susan said softly, looking at Della little apologetically – not at being told, but at knowing before the girl in question and not telling her.

Susan was wearing a floor-length forest green dress with a white underdress and long sleeves, slightly puffed at the upper arms before becoming fitted down her forearms and to her wrists. Her hair was braided back the same way Lucy and Della's was, with the same wreaths, but darker flowers, weaved into it. Like Lucy, she wore flat open-toed sandals on her feet.

Della nodded, realizing that since the older two had been told, they hadn't exactly had time to talk about something so important. She proceeded to tell Lucy everything that Aslan had told her about her destiny – the stars being born, hers and Edmund's destinies being intertwined, neither of them being able to live without the other. She also told the sisters about her previous meeting with Aslan when she was a child.

"You're going to be my sister!" Lucy squealed happily once Della finished talking, hugging the red-head tightly. "This is so amazing!"

"There's still a lot that needs to happen before that happens Lu." Susan said, looking at the youngest girl fondly. "First and foremost is finding Edmund.

"And then the two of us growing up." Della added with a laugh. "Besides, just because our destinies are intertwined, it doesn't mean that we _have_ to get married." She pointed out to the younger girl. "We could just live our lives being best friends."

Lucy looked at Della as if she'd grown a second head, Susan looking at her with a similar expression.

"Sure." Susan said indulgingly, smiling at Della. "If that's what you want to believe."

Della frowned, not understanding what Susan meant. She shook her head and shrugged it off, she was only 13-years-old and she still had plenty of time before thinking about relationships. She looked at the stream and sighed, seeing her reflection staring back at her.

"What is it, Della?" Lucy asked, hearing the older girl sigh and turning to look at her. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just remembering the times before the war, when my cousins and I used to dress up and play games like 'Pirates and Princesses' or 'Kings and Queens' or even just re-enacting different plays." Della said, a sad reminiscing look in her large blue eyes, currently reflecting a calm blue - green ocean. "Dad would call me his 'Little Princess', and if Grandpa was nearby and he heard, he would argue that I was his 'Sea Sprite'. The two would argue until Grandma or Mum would tell them to shut up because I wasn't even there anymore."

"I noticed that there was no sign of your grandmother at the mansion." Susan said gently, a question implied in her statement.

"Grandma died when I was 9." Della said quietly.

"I'm so sorry." Susan said, putting a gentle hand on the red-head's shoulder.

Della smiled at them reassuringly.

"Grandpa says I look exactly like her. Except for my eyes. According to Mum, I have my birth-father's eyes, right down to the changing colours." Della said with a laugh.

"If you look like your grandmother, then she must have been really pretty." Lucy said, smiling.

"She was." Della said, nodding. "She really was."

"And Susan looks like Mum." Lucy said, the smile still on her face as she looked at her older sister.

"Mum hasn't had a dress like this since before the war." Susan said softly, reminiscing to the simpler times in their lives.

"Neither has mine." Della said softly. "Nor my aunt."

"We should bring them one back." Lucy suggested, her face brightening at the thought. "A whole trunk full each!"

"Yeah!" Della said, nodding in agreement. "They will be so surprised!"

"If we ever get back." Susan said quietly, her smile fading and her comment making the younger girls lose their smiles as well.

"Of course we'll get back." Della said firmly. "Grandpa got back to Earth, remember?"

When Susan looked at her, she pointedly nodded towards Lucy. The youngest girl was looking at the ground sadly, trying to fight the rising sorrow.

"I'm sorry I'm like that." Susan said, turning to face her sister with an apologetic smile on her face. Lucy looked up at her, the sorrow swimming in her blue-grey eyes. "We used to have fun together, didn't we?"

"Yes." Lucy said quietly, a smile crossing her face as she added, 'Before you got boring."

"Ouch." Della said with a laugh.

"Oh, really?" Susan said, a grin forming on her face.

She bent down and scooped up some water, tossing it at Lucy. Lucy screamed in delight before retaliating, tossing water back at Susan. Della laughed at the two of them, happy that they were having fun. She didn't see the two sisters look at each other conspiratorially and scoop water in their hands. Della screamed when she felt the water hit her and looked at the two laughing sisters.

"Oh, you're going to pay for that." Della mock growled.

She stretched out her hands and flicked her wrist, causing two tendrils of water to rise up from the stream, one on either side of her.

"No! Della Don't you dare!" Susan shrieked, her blue eyes wide when she saw what the Protector intended to do.

"You should've thought of that before!" Della exclaimed with a laugh.

She flicked her wrists and sent the water tendrils flying at the two girls. The girls shrieked when the water hit them in the face and upper torso, the force of the blow pushing them backward into the stream. They wiped the water from their faces and glared mockingly up at the laughing redhead. Susan and Lucy looked at each other for a moment then looked back at Della, reaching out and grabbing her hands. In a synchronized move, they yanked her hands, pulling her in to the stream as well, making her fall down between them. The girls looked at each other and down at their wet dresses.

For a moment, they just looked at each other before bursting out into peals of laughter, the different tones blending together to create a beautiful symphony of sound, the laughter echoing their joy and light-heartedness.

"Come on, we should get out." Susan said after several moments, their peals of laughter slowing down to giggles.

Slowly, still giggling, they got to their feet and made their way out of the stream, Susan reaching the bank first. The dark haired girl went up the small hill and grabbed a towel that was hanging from the tree branch.

She pulled the towel down and Maugrim, who was hiding behind the towels, growled menacingly at Susan. The girls screamed and stepped back, Della pushing Lucy behind her while Susan instinctively moved in front of the younger girls while stepping back away from the advancing Wolf.

"Please don't try to run." Maugrim growled, stepping forward as the girls moved backwards, further into the stream. "We're tired."

"And we'd prefer to kill you quickly." Another Wolf said, coming towards them from between the trees a little ways away from Maugrim.

The girls looked at the two Wolves before looking towards the embankment where Susan's horn was hanging by their weapons. Susan screamed and threw her towel at Maugrim while Della flicked her wrist and sent a thick tendril of water at the second Wolf. The girls used the Wolves' momentary distraction to run to the embankment, Susan grabbing her horn and blowing on it.

"Lucy, get up the tree!" Della yelled as Susan sounded the horn.

"What about you?" Lucy yelled, already making her way to the tree.

"Don't worry about me! I'll hold them off!" Della yelled. She turned to Susan when she lowered the horn. "Susan, up the tree as well. Go!"

Susan wanted to argue but Della already had her back to them, standing in front of the tree, and was facing the advancing pair of Wolves.

"Be careful!" Susan yelled to the girl before running to the tree and climbing up behind her sister.

"Protector." Maugrim growled, stepping towards Della.

The second Wolf went to the tree and began trying to bite at the sisters' feet, snarling. The girls screamed, struggling to stay out of range of the Wolf's deadly jaws.

"You've got guts, kid, I'll give you that. Do you really think you can take me down, little girl?" Maugrim taunted.

"I nearly succeeded at the river, didn't I?" Della said in a taunting tone of her own, a smirk on her face.

The beautiful red-head closed her eyes, reflecting a raging dark blue sea, and stretched out her right hand. Time seemed to slow down as she focused her thoughts like Father Christmas had told her and tried to summon her sceptre. She felt her ring heat up slightly and the power swirl around her hand. Time sped up once more and her eyes flew open when she heard a stunned gasp. She let out a gasp of her own when she saw sparkling water swirling around her right hand as her sceptre appeared in front of her, the sparkling water swirling around it as well.

Della grabbed the sceptre and pointed it at Maugrim, the Wolf momentarily taken aback at the display of power from the young Protector who had only learned of her powers the previous day.

"What will you do with that, little Queen?" Maugrim asked, hiding his surprise behind a taunting tone. "You can summon the sceptre, but can you _use_ it?"

"I don't know. Let's find out." Della said, a fierce look in her raging dark blue eyes.

She held the sceptre out, pointing the gem towards the water that lapped at her feet. Using the sceptre as a pointer, she created a small wave of water and sent it at Maugrim while using her other hand to create small dart-like projectiles with the water which she sent at the second Wolf.

The attack at Maugrim sent him back slightly while the one at the second Wolf drew his attention to Della and away from Susan and Lucy, which was what Della had been intending. The two wolves snarled angrily, advancing on her once more.

_"Please guide me, Papa."_ Della pleaded silently, watching the advancing Wolves and holding the sceptre up in front of her.

_"Use the sceptre to create a whirlpool around the Wolves. You need only hold on a few moments longer, help is on the way."_

Della pointed the top of her sceptre at the water in front of the Wolves, moving it in circular motions as though drawing a never ending circle. As she moved the sceptre around, the water around the Wolves began to swirl in a circle, the same direction Della was drawing. The Wolves growled and snarled at Della, trying to move away from the swirling water but found they couldn't move. The whirlpool slowly rose up around them, coming up to their necks and swirling around them, keeping them in place.

"Peter!" Susan cried out in relief, seeing the blonde boy run across the river towards them, drawing his sword.

"Della! Susan! Lucy!" He yelled, coming to a stop next to Della and aiming his sword at the trapped Wolves.

"About time you got here!" Della yelled, looking at him incredulously. "What took you so long?!"

"You seem to be handling yourself pretty well." Peter remarked. "Didn't want to steal your thunder."

"Well, steal away." Della replied, panting slightly from exertion. "This is not as easy as it looks."

As she spoke, the whirlpool began to decrease, Della being unable to maintain it. She panted, beads of sweat rolling down her face.

"Peter, I hope you're ready to face them." Della panted, shaking her head to try and clear her slowly hazing vision. "I can't hold it much longer…"

She trailed off as her eyes fluttered, her arms dropping from their raised positions and the sceptre disappearing, once more becoming the ring on her finger.

"Della!" Susan, Peter and Lucy yelled in alarm as the girl collapsed into the water, her head thankfully landing on the bank.

"Peter!" Susan cried in warning. "The whirlpool!"

Peter looked from the unconscious girl to the whirlpool. He tightened his grip on his sword and watched as the whirlpool decreased before disappearing entirely, leaving the Wolves free once more.

"Come on!" Maugrim growled, snarling at Peter as the two Wolves advanced on the blonde boy. "We've already been through this before. We both know you haven't got it in you."

Peter stepped backwards, heading for the embankment near the tree his sisters were in as the Wolves followed him. The two girls watched with wide eyes, fear for their brother and concern for their friend etched on their faces.

"The Protector couldn't hold us, what makes you think you can?" The second Wolf asked with a growl.

The Wolves growled and snarled at Peter, the boy pointing his sword at the Wolves alternatingly.

"Peter! Watch out!" Susan yelled in warning as the second Wolf tried to sneak behind Peter while his attention was on Maugrim.

There was a load roar as Aslan pinned the Wolf down with his mighty paw. Peter looked towards Aslan and saw that the Lion had come with Oreius and a squadron of Fauns and Jaguars. Oreius snarled and held his sword ready, intending to join the fight against Maugrim.

"No!" Aslan ordered, the Centaur immediately coming to a stop next to him as he continued in explanation. "Stay your weapons. This is Peter's battle."

The Centaur and the rest of the squadron lowered their weapons as ordered, but didn't sheathe them, knowing that they may need them.

"Check on Queen Asherah." Oreius told a Faun and a Jaguar.

They both nodded and hurried to the unconscious girl, checking her condition. The Faun picked her up and carried her onto the embankment, gently laying her down on the grass. The Faun gently patted her cheek and, like the previous time only earlier that day, Della came to with a groan a few seconds later.

"She is all right, Your Majesties." The Jaguar announced as the Faun helped Della sit up, though looking at Peter who was looking between the Wolf in front of him and the red-headed girl nearby.

Peter nodded and turned back to Maugrim, trusting that Della was being taken care of. Up in the tree, Susan and Lucy watched with baited breath, their eyes darting between Peter facing Maugrim and Della being tended to by a Faun and a Jaguar.

"You may think you're a king, but you're going to die…like a dog!" Maugrim snarled, jumping on top of Peter.

"Look out!" Susan screamed as Peter yelled in alarm.

Peter landed on his back with Maugrim on top of him, both twitching for a few seconds before falling still.

"Peter!" Susan, Della and Lucy screamed, horror and fear on their faces and in their voices.

The sisters jumped down from the tree and ran to Peter, falling to their knees next to him. With a burst of speed that she couldn't explain, Della ran to them, skidding to her knees next to the sisters. Together, they pushed Maugrim off of him, straining against the Wolf's dead weight. Peter sat up slowly, panting and his eyes wide with shock. He looked at Susan and Lucy and pulled them into a hug, the three holding each other tightly in relief.

Della smiled, watching happily as the three siblings held each other, her own short burst of energy fading as she sat back on the ground. She yelped in surprise as the three siblings drew her into their hug and held her just as tightly.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again!" Susan shrieked, pulling back from the hug and glaring at Della. "Honestly! This is the third time today!"

As the dark-haired girl berated Della, the squadron and Aslan watched in amusement with gentle smiles.

"Third time?" Della repeated in confusion. "Your Maths is wrong. This is the second time I fainted." She looked at the older girl matter-of-factly, not noticing the worried fury pouring off her.

"Fine! The second time, then!" Susan growled. "Don't you scare me like that again!"

"You got it." Della replied, nodding in agreement, seeing that arguing with the older girl might just get her killed.

The four of them were drawn to the sound of yelping and barking. Turning to look at the sound, they saw Aslan let the second Wolf back up.

"After him." Aslan ordered as the Wolf proceeded to run from them, heading into the forest. He looked at the siblings and Della as he explained, "He'll lead you to Edmund."

Oreius nodded and galloped forward, leading his squadron after the Wolf. Della and the three Pevensie siblings watched as the squadron moved out of sight, each praying that they would return safely.

"Peter." Aslan called gently, causing the four to turn to him. "Clean your sword."

Peter, confused did as he was told, removing his sword from Maugrim's lifeless body and cleaning it with the towels and the stream water.

"Step forward and kneel." Aslan said once the sword was gleaming again.

Peter knelt behind his sword in front of Aslan and the mighty Lion tapped the boy on each shoulder with his mighty paw.

"Rise, Sir Peter Wolf's-Bane," Aslan said proudly as Peter rose to his feet. "Knight of Narnia."

The girls, who gotten to their feet and were watching, looked at the blonde boy with proud smiles. Peter sheathed his sword again and looked at them, standing with an almost regal bearing.


	14. Some Much-Needed Practice

**Chapter 13: Some Much-Needed Practice**

Della, the Pevensie siblings and Aslan returned to the campsite before the Lion parted ways with them. The four children spent the rest of the day trying to keep themselves occupied but ended up spending the time pacing the ground outside their tents. When they finally went to bed when night fell, it was a restless night for all of them.

Then next morning, after managing to get a few hours of sleep, the three girls woke up a few minutes after each other. Quickly getting dressed in the dresses they wore the previous day and getting their hair braided the same way, they stepped out of the tent to see Peter already outside – once again, Della was barefoot while the sisters wore flat sandals.

He looked at them when they walked out before turning to look at a rocky outcropping. Della's heart was lifted of the worry and tension she had been carrying for the past several days, and she smiled in relief at the sight of Edmund standing on the rock with Aslan.

"EDMUND!" Lucy screamed happily at the sight of her older brother.

She moved to run towards him, Della half a step behind her, when Peter caught the two girls by the waists and gently held them back.

"Peter, what?" Della asked in confusion, wondering why he had stopped them.

Peter didn't say anything to them, only turning back to look at Edmund and Aslan, who had turned to look at them at the sound of Lucy's cry. Edmund and Aslan looked back at one another and the Lion gave an almost imperceptible nod to the boy. Edmund gave an equally small nod in return before walking down from the rock and slowly making his way towards them. Aslan followed behind him a second later. Edmund walked slowly towards them, looking at the ground with his hands in his pockets, as though he was almost afraid of the kind of reception he would receive form his siblings and the girl he was connected to. Della took in the dark-haired boy's appearance, noting the tired expression and the split lip.

"What's done is done." Aslan said calmly and firmly to the four children. "There is no need to speak to Edmund about what is past."

He turned and slowly walked away, the five children watching him go. Edmund looked at them, hesitant and uncertain. He took in Peter's unreadable expression and looked back at the ground.

"Hello." He mumbled awkwardly, glancing at them hesitantly.

Lucy and Della broke the rising awkward tension by stepping up to Edmund and hugging him tightly. The girls buried their faces in his chest and he wrapped his arms around them, basking in the warmth and comfort of the hug. He had missed them, but until he held them in his arms, he didn't realize how much. Susan stepped up to Edmund next and gently touched his shoulder. Feeling her gentle touch, he looked at her and let go of Lucy and Della. The girls stepped back, laughing delightedly, as Susan hugged Edmund tightly.

"Are you all right?" Susan asked Edmund concernedly.

"I'm a little tired." Edmund admitted.

"Get some sleep." Peter said, speaking up for the first time and causing the four of them to look at him. He nodded to the tent behind him and Edmund began walking towards it. Della glared at Peter pointedly and he turned, calling to Edmund's retreating back, "And Edmund…" Edmund turned and looked at him, a confused scowl on his face. "…try not to wander off." Peter finished with a light chuckle.

Edmund smiled, his face lighting up at the older boy's comment. He turned and walked away, going inside the tent to get some rest.

Inside, as he lay on the chaise and looked at the roof of the tent, he though about what Aslan had told him regarding his destiny. He had told the Lion about how he felt a strange connection to Della, how he didn't tell the Witch anything about Della, not even when he had first met the woman and she had begun to ensnare him in her trap. He sighed and wondered how Della felt about their intertwined destinies, if she would accept it or fight against it because of what he had done. There was a part of him that was certain that she would accept it, and that they could at least be friends, but there was another part of him that was worried she would fight against it.

He closed his eyes and remembered how it felt, seeing her while he was talking to Aslan. She looked so beautiful, so exotic, dressed in a deep purple dress, her long hair tied away from her face and blowing gently in the breeze. When she looked at him, right before hugging him tightly with Lucy, her large eyes reflected a calm blue-green sea and swam with the power that lay within her. And holding her in his arms, even if it had been a three-way hug with Lucy as well, he felt the last vestiges of his internal torment and uncertainty fade away, feeling a sense of belonging that he hadn't felt in a long time.

With these thoughts swirling around in his mind, he slowly succumbed to sleep, finally letting himself relax after the harrowing events of the past few days.

Several hours later, he woke up feeling relaxed and refreshed, his body recovering from his terrible ordeal. He dressed in the Narnian clothing that was left by his bed, an off-white long-sleeved tunic, a light brown sleeveless tunic over top, light tan leggings and dark brown leather boots.

Walking out of the tent, he saw Lucy and Della playing together and laughing delightedly while Susan and Peter watched, a pair of Fauns setting food down on a low table. The Fauns bowed to the five of them respectfully before walking away, letting the children enjoy their brunch.

Edmund, incredibly ravenous, ate as quickly as he could while the rest ate at a slightly more sedate pace. Peter, finishing his meal first, stood up with his drink glass in hand and leaned back against a boulder.

"Narnia's not going to run out of toast, Ed." Lucy said to him jokingly with a smile, seeing the dark-haired boy finish his egg and start quickly eating his buttered toast.

She was sitting next to him with Susan on her other side, Della sitting between Susan and Edmund. Peter had been sitting between Della and Susan before he got up.

Edmund chuckled in response to the joke, slowing down slightly.

"I'm sure they'll pack something up for the journey back." Peter said, drawing their attention to him. He had been silent for most of the meal, a pensive expression on his fair features.

"We're going home?" Susan asked quietly, a frown on her face.

"You are." Peter said, looking at his siblings. He pushed off the boulder he was leaning against and rejoined them on the ground, retaking his seat between Della and Susan. "I may not have any say regarding Della, but I promised Mum I'd keep you three safe. But that doesn't mean I can't stay behind and help."

"But they need us." Lucy said quietly. She looked at each of them. "All_ five_ of us."

"Lucy, it's too dangerous." Peter said. "You almost drowned! Della fainted twice from overtaxing her powers! Edmund was almost killed!"

"Which is why we have to stay." Edmund said quietly. He had looked down at his lap at some point during Lucy and Peter's conversation, looking up when he drew their attention to him. "I've seen what the White Witch can do. And I've helped her do it." His voice became stronger as he gained his confidence, helped by the gentle hand Della had put on the back of his hand. "And we can't leave these people behind to suffer for it."

For a single moment, the five of them were silent, Della holding Edmund's hand in reassurance.

"I suppose that's it then." Susan said determinedly, getting to her feet and walking away from their table.

"Where are you going?" Peter asked her.

"To get in some practice." Susan replied, picking up her bow and arrows as well as her horn.

"Yeah, we won't be any use to Narnia if we can't use our weapons." Lucy chirped, finishing her toast and getting to her feet as well.

"Or if I keep passing out." Della added wryly.

Della absently kissed Edmund's cheek and got to her feet, turning around and following Susan and Lucy to the archery range. Edmund put his hand to his cheek, staring wide-eyed at Della's retreating back as a small smile formed on his face.

"Come on, Dolly Daydream." Peter said, chuckling. "Let's get in some practice of our own."

As they met up with Oreius who showed them a few techniques to begin with, Della joined Susan and Lucy at the archery range.

Della summoned her sceptre and, using the water from the bucket that was on either side of her, practiced manipulating the element. She used her sceptre with one hand and free-ranged with the other. She created small waves and whirlpools with the help of the sceptre while using her free hand to create darts that she then aimed at the row of targets in front of her. Without letting the wave of water she was manipulating with her sceptre falter, she sent the water darts to each of the targets, each one hitting dead centre.

"Wow, Della. You've gotten good." Lucy said, looking at the red-head impressed.

"Thanks." Della said with a smile, letting the water wave return to the bucket and the sceptre return to its resting form. "Susan, your turn."

Susan sighed and took her stance with Della and Lucy watching. Susan notched her arrow and aimed at her target a few yards away before releasing the arrow. The arrow flew through the air and hit the target, just right of the bulls-eye. The two younger girls had amazed expressions on their faces at the close hit while Susan looked mildly disappointed. Lucy took her dagger and aimed it at the same target Susan had used, taking a breath before letting the weapon fly. The dagger landed firmly in the centre of the target, and she gave Susan a cheeky grin. Della and Susan laughed, joined by Lucy's peals of laughter a second later.

They were drawn out of their laughter by the sound of Horses whinnying and turned towards the sound. They saw Edmund and Peter riding towards them, the former on a brown Horse while the latter on a pure white Unicorn. Both boys had their swords drawn and were sparring while on horse-back.

"Come on Ed! Sword point up." Peter said with a slight chuckle as the boys faced each other. "Like Oreius showed us."

The girls stopped their own practice and turned to watch the boys, who were unaware of their audience.

"En garde!" Edmund called, one hand holding the reigns of his Horse while the other wielded his sword.

"Now block." Peter ordered as he attacked Edmund.

Edmund blocked the blow and aimed one of his own at the older by, who parried it.

"Hey!" Edmund cired when Peter managed to block three attacks in quick succession.

"Peter! Edmund! Lucy! Della! Susan!" Mr. Beaver yelled, drawing all five of their attention to him.

Edmund's Horse whinnied and reared back on his hindlegs, Edmund having to lean forward and tighten his grip on the reigns to keep from falling off.

"Whoa, horsie!" Edmund exclaimed as the Horse settled down once more.

"My name is Philip." The Horse, Philip, said to Edmund in annoyance.

"Oh. S-Sorry." Edmund stammered as the girls caught up with them.

"What is it, Mr. Beaver?" Della asked, seeing the urgency on the Beaver's face.

"The Witch has demanded a meeting with Aslan." Mr. Beaver said frantically. "She's on her way here."

"Oh, that is not good." Della muttered, reaching out absently and putting a reassuring hand on Edmund's arm.

Edmund exchanged looks with Peter, his sudden fear at the news fading when Della out her hand on his arm. He turned in the direction he heard Ginnabrik's voice.

"Jadis, the Queen of Narnia!" Ginnabrik announced, leading the delegation through the campsite.

Jadis sat regally on her throne, being carried by four cyclops' with her guard surrounding her. Narnians gathered on either side of the delegation with Aslan at the end of the makeshift aisle, sitting on his hunches.

"Go away, Witch!" A male Narnian called from amidst the crowd.

The boys dismounted their rides and hurried to the main campsite, their mounts staying near the back. The five of them ran to the front of one side of the aisle, a few feet away from Aslan, and watched as Ginnabrik led the Witch's delegation.

"Empress of the Lone Islands!" Ginnabrik continued, ignoring the hostilities that were aimed at his Queen.

"You don't belong here! Go away!" Another male Narnian called.

Aslan watched as the Witch was brought to him, growling deep within his chest though no one else heard it. He got to his feet as the Witch's throne was lowered to the ground and she stood up and stepped off the raised platform. Jadis walked forward, her cold green eyes watching Edmund. Edmund stared back at the Witch, his heart racing and he shook with fear as he wondered why she had come. Della reached out and grabbed his hand, holding tightly and silently comforting him. Jadis saw the movement and glared at the redhead, who glared fiercely back at her, before turning to the golden Lion in front of her.

"You have a traitor in your midst, Aslan." Jadis said calmly, stopping in front of the golden Lion.

Edmund looked at the ground when he heard the Witch's words, knowing she was talking about him. Della stepped towards him and squeezed his hand comfortingly as the crowd murmured around them.

"His offence was not against you." Aslan responded, his deep voice equally calm.

"Have you forgotten the laws upon which Narnia was built?" Jadis asked him.

"Do not cite the Deep Magic to me, Witch." Aslan said, his voice coming out with a roar. "I was there when it was written."

"Then you'll remember well that every traitor belongs to me." Jadis said with a smirk playing on her face. "His blood is my property."

"Try and take him then." Peter said, drawing his sword and pointing it at the Witch.

"Try it, bitch." Della growled, summoning her sceptre and standing in front of Edmund protectively, silently daring the Witch's guards to come closer.

Della's swear at the Witch earned her several surprised looks from the crowd, though she took no notice of it, focused on the woman trying to take Edmund away. A black furred Minotaur tightened his grip on his axe and grunted, glaring at Della.

"Do you really think that mere force will deny me my right… little King?" Jadis asked Peter, a mocking tone in her voice when she called him 'little King'.

"It's worth a shot." Della muttered, though only the Pevensie's heard her.

Edmund put his hands gently on Della's shoulders calmingly, ready to accept the consequences of his actions. Peter looked away from the Witch, his eyes rimmed with red at the possibility of still loosing Edmund after just getting him back.

"Aslan knows that unless I have blood as the law demands," Jadis began, looking at Aslan before turning around and facing the crowd of Narnians. "All of Narnia will be overturned and perish in fire and water." She turned around and faced Edmund, pointing at him as she said, "That boy will die on the Stone Table…"

The crowd murmured in shock and despair as Della reached up and squeezed Edmund's hands, Peter, Lucy and Susan looking at him in despair.

"As is tradition." Jadis finished her statement after a moment, lowering her hand. She looked at Aslan as she said, "You dare not refuse me."

"Enough." Aslan said, silencing the murmuring crowd. "I shall talk with you alone."

Aslan turned and walked into his tent, the White Witch following a moment later. Edmund dropped his hands from Della's shoulders and sighed in resignation. Lucy took Edmund's hand and held it tightly while Della took the other one. Edmund gladly accepted their hold on him, fear coursing through him.

The valley was silent as they all waited, the minutes ticking by at a snail's pace. At one point everyone sat down, Della having to be forcefully seated when she didn't stop pacing. Lucy began tapping her fingers on her knee as she sat cross-legged, Edmund began picking at the grass and Peter played with his folded hands while Susan played with a long blade of grass she had plucked. Della began playing with some water from a nearby canteen, creating shapes and figures while they waited.

Finally, over an hour later, the Witch emerged from the tent, followed by Aslan. They all stood up and watched with baited breath as the Witch walked towards the crowd, a gleeful expression on her face. With a final look at Edmund, she turned and walked towards her throne.

As one, everyone looked at Aslan, waiting with baited breath for him to explain. Susan put her arm around Lucy while Della took Edmund's hand and squeezed it tightly, the grip being returned ten-fold as the boy squeezed back. For a moment, Aslan was silent, gazing at Edmund with a look that seemed to penetrate deep into the boy's soul.

"She has renounced her claim on the Son of Adam's blood." Aslan announced finally.

The announcement was met with cheers and applause that echoed through the valley as Della, Lucy, Susan and Peter hugged Edmund tightly.

"How do I know your promise will be kept?" The Witch called, standing on the platform of her throne.

Aslan roared in response and the Witch sat down instantly. The cheers and applause that had faded when Jadis asked her question returned full force, ten times louder as the Narnians jeered at the Witch's reaction to the Lion's roar. Della wrapped her arms around Edmund again in a tight hug and this time when he returned it, he held on just as tightly and lifted her off the ground for a moment before putting her back on her feet. The cheering crowd payed almost no notice to the Witch as she was carried out of the camp, nor did anyone notice the almost sad look on Aslan's face.

No one except Lucy and Della.


	15. The Stone Table

**Chapter 14: The Stone Table**

After the excitement of the meeting between Aslan and the White Witch faded and everyone returned to their duties, the children returned to their training for the rest of the afternoon.

That night, Della tossed and turned in her chaise bedding. She could hear the crickets chirping in the silence outside their tent and Lucy tossing and turning in her own bedding inside the tent. Neither girl could sleep, the sad expression on Aslan's face plaguing their thoughts.

Why was Aslan sad when the Witch had renounced her claim on Edmund? What had made the Witch agree to renouncing in the first place? What was the price?

Della knew there had to be a price that had to be paid for the renouncement. After all, the Witch had said it herself, unless she had blood, all of Narnia would be overturned and perish in fire and water. She sighed and closed her eyes, only for them to snap open a second later at the sound of footsteps outside. She sat up and absently noticed Lucy doing the same. Looking through the tent's drape, Della saw Aslan's silhouette walking passed.

"Where's he going so late?" Lucy asked in a whisper.

"I don't know." Della replied, getting out of bed. She looked at Susan who was still asleep. "Susan!" She hissed in a loud whisper.

"Mm?" Susan groaned, waking up at the red-head's call.

In lieu of giving a response, Lucy and Della grabbed their cloaks as well as their weapons and walked towards the tent flap, putting their cloaks and strapping their weapons on. Susan sighed and got out of bed as well, grabbing her cloak and following the girls. They poked their heads out of the tent and looked to see if anyone was nearby and not seeing anyone, they quietly stepped out.

The three girls quietly walked around the tent, hearing a Horse neighing in the distance. They followed him quietly for several minutes, out of the campsite and into the darkened forest. They didn't realize that Aslan knew they were following him, the girls not being very skilled in stealth tracking.

"Shouldn't the three of you be in bed?" Aslan said quietly, stopping but not turning around.

The girls, who had hidden behind a tree when the Lion stopped walking, stepped out from their hiding spot sheepishly.

"We couldn't sleep." Della said quietly, walking towards him.

"Please, Aslan." Susan said quietly. "Couldn't we come with you?"

"Please, Aslan?" Lucy asked.

"I would be glad for the company for a while." Aslan admitted as the girls stepped up beside him, Della and Susan on one side with Lucy on the other.

The four of them resumed walking, the girls holding on to his mane with gentle yet firm hands. For several minutes, they walked in silence, the girls not sure what to say while Aslan took comfort in their presence.

"It is time." He said finally, stopping. "From here, I must go on alone."

The girls let go of his mane and stepped back, confusion on each of their features.

"But Aslan…" Susan started.

"You have to trust me." Aslan said gently, turning around to look at them. "For this must be done." He looked at each of the girls in turn. "Thank you, Susan. Thank you, Lucy. Thank you, Asherah." He began to turn around as he said quietly, "And farewell."

He began walking away, in the same direction he had been heading, with the girl watching him go. For several seconds, Della just watched as he walked away, an unexplained sense of sorrow and grief rising within her.

"Aslan!" She called out, halting the large Lion in his spot.

Della ran to him and hugged him tightly, a gut-wrenching fear coursing through her as she got the feeling that she would never see him again. She buried her face in his golden mane as he purred gently, soothingly, to her as he had once done so long ago when she was a child. Susan and Lucy stepped forward and gently pried the red-head away from the Lion, holding her comfortingly as Aslan resumed his walk.

Once again, the girls watched as he walked away, watching until he was out of sight. Susan gently squeezed Della and Lucy's shoulders before walking through the trees, with the younger two girls behind her. The three of them came up to a fallen tree and crouched behind it, their eyes widening at what they saw.

The White Witch's camp lay before them, lit by dozens of torches. The creatures of her army howled, squealed and shrieked as Aslan calmly walked through the massive crowd.

The girls exchanged confused looks, wondering what was going on.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Della moaned quietly, her comment getting nods of agreement from the two sisters.

Aslan stopped in front of the Stone Table with the Witch walking up to and stopping opposite him, a Stone Knife in her hands.

"Behold, the Great Lion." The Witch said in an almost mocking tone.

Her army laughed at her words while Susan, Lucy and Della watched with wide eyes, unable to tear their eyes away from the sight before them. A Minotaur advanced towards Aslan, his axe held tightly in his grip, the crowd laughing behind him. Aslan growled at the Minotaur and he turned, looking at the Witch almost as if for confirmation. The Witch gave a minute nod of her head and the Minotaur faced Aslan once more. With a growl, the Minotaur used his axe to hit Aslan, flipping the Lion over. Aslan landed on his side with a pained growl as the crowd snorted and cheered at the sight.

The girls, hidden behind the fallen tree, gasped in shocked horror at what they had seen, Susan taking Lucy and Della's hands in her own.

"Do you want some milk?" Ginnabrik asked Aslan mockingly.

"Why doesn't he fight back?" Lucy asked in a quiet whisper, tears shining in her eyes.

"I don't know." Susan whispered.

"I think this was the price." Della said softly, realization dawning on her face and mixing with horror.

"What do you mean?" Susan asked.

"Remember what the Witch said? If she didn't have blood, all of Narnia would be overturned." Della explained quietly, fighting her tears of horror and sorrow. "Aslan's sacrificing himself so that Edmund, and by extension myself, might live."

"Oh, my God." Lucy and Susan breathed in unison, their eyes wide at what they had just been told.

"Bind him!" The Witch ordered, drawing the distressed girls' attention back to what was occurring at the Stone Table.

Several creatures gleefully tied Aslan up, binding his paws together and muzzling him, wrapping the length of the cord around him for good measure.

"Wait." The Witch said, her face devoid of any expression while a cold look glimmered in her eyes. "Let him first be shaved."

Ginnabrik drew his dagger and stepped forward, taking a fistful of Aslan's beautiful golden mane and cutting it off. The crowd cheered as he held the fistful up, the cheers drowning out Aslan's pained moan. Once the first fistful had been cut, several of the creatures drew their own knives and began cutting away at Aslan's mane, none of them noticing the pained groans emitting from the Lion.

"Bring him to me." The Witch said after several minutes of watching the Lion being shaved.

A Cyclops grabbed one length of cord while another grabbed the second one, both dragging the Lion to the Stone Table. They dragged him up the steps of the Table, uncaring if he became injured from the rough handling, leaving him laying prone in front of the Witch before stepping back.

The crowd howled and cheered at the sight of Aslan, laying in front of the Witch with his glorious mane cut off. The Witch silenced the crowd with a single motion and looked down at the Lion with contempt.

For a moment, there was complete silence, then the hags began rhythmically banging their torches against the stone ground, the Minotaurs and several other creatures began growling, the Wolves began howling while the rest screeched. The Witch knelt down next to Aslan, running her hand over his golden coat.

"You know, Aslan, I'm a little disappointed in you." The Witch said. "Did you honestly think by all this that you could save the human traitor? And Nereus' Daughter?"

Della's eyes widened when she heard the Witch mention her. Aslan wasn't just sacrificing himself to save Edmund, and by extension Della because of their intertwined destinies. Aslan knew that the Witch was after her as well, and he was trying to save her as well.

"You are giving me your life and saving no one." The Witch continued with a gleeful tone. She chuckled, and Aslan silently prayed that Della would be safe from the Witch's grasp. "So much for love. When I am done with you, I will kill the Pevensie siblings and turn Asherah against Narnia, using her power for my gain." Susan and Lucy, hearing what the Witch had planned for the red-head, put their hands on each of Della's shoulders reassuringly. The Witch stood up gracefully and addressed her army in a loud, clear voice. "Tonight… the Deep Magic… will be appeased!" The crowd cheered at her words. "But tomorrow, we will take Narnia… forever!" The cheering from the crowd reached deafening proportions and the Witch turned her attention back to Aslan. "In that knowledge, despair…" She raised the Stone Knife while Aslan turned his head as much as possible to look at the three girls that were hidden. He looked straight at Della, his large cat eyes filled with tears as he breathed heavily. "…and DIE!"

The Witch brought the Knife down in one swift motion, burying deep in his side. Aslan let out a deep pained grunt, his eyes widening in a reactive movement. The girls gasped in horror, the sound drowned out by the cheers of the crowd. Della bit back a pained scream, clamping her hands over her mouth to keep any sound from escaping her, as Aslan gave a final gasp and his eyes fluttered closed, breathing his last.

Susan gathered Lucy and Della in her arms as the three of them sobbed, Della panting from the agony of the sudden pain she was in.

"The Great Cat…" The Witch announced, "is dead!"

The crowd cheered loudly, the noise once again reaching deafening proportions. The Wolves howled in elation.

"General." The Witch said, a Minotaur turning to her in response. "Prepare your troops for battle." The Minotaur nodded and roared loudly. "However short it may be."

The girls watched from their hiding spot, clinging to each other in sorrow, as the Witch's army cleared away from the Stone Table, leaving Aslan's dead body tied where it was.

"It hurts." Della said softly as Susan helped her to her feet, the red head having one hand on her chest.

"I know." Susan said just as softly, referring to the emotional pain though she knew that Della also meant the physical pain she was in from feeling the death.

With tears streaming down their eyes, the three girls slowly made their way to the Stone Table. Lucy and Della climbed up and sat on either side of the Lion's head. Lucy gazed at Aslan for a moment before remembering her cordial and what Father Christmas had said. She took it out from her belt and unscrewed the cap, ready to use it.

"It's too late." Susan said sadly, seeing what her sister was intending to do.

"He's gone, Lucy." Della said, a fresh wave of tears streaming down her face.

Lucy sighed dejectedly, the minute hope that had flared in her heart fading as she slowly recapped her cordial, another wave of tears falling from her large eyes. Susan climbed up on to the Table and sat behind Della, next to Aslan's neck. Della sobbed and curled herself against Aslan's body, wrapping her cloak tightly around her tiny frame. She buried her face against his forehead, her tears dripping down her cheeks and into his fur. Susan wrapped her arms around the tiny redhead, gently rubbing her back but not having the heart to move her.

"He must have known what he was doing." Susan said gently, trying to convince the younger girls just as much as she was trying to convince herself.

Lucy sobbed and leaned against Aslan's still form, gently rubbing her fingers over the fur along his nose and resting her cheek against his. Susan put one hand on the back of Lucy's head, the other still rubbing Della's back soothingly. As she comforted the two younger girls, she lost the battle against her own sorrow and buried her face in the Lion's neck, her hands not moving from where they were.

The three of them were drawn out of their sorrow-induced haze at the sound of squeaking. Turning to the sound, they saw dozens of mice climbing onto Aslan's still form and surrounding the cords that bound him so tightly.

"Get away!" Susan cried tearfully. "Get away, all of you!"

"No. Look." Lucy whispered, seeing something that Susan didn't.

"They're cutting the cords." Della whispered hoarsely.

Sure enough, the mice nibbled at the cords until they snapped. The three girls removed the cords from around Aslan's mouth and sides, before Lucy and Della retook their previous positions and burying their faces into his fur, sobbing.

"We have to tell the others." Susan said quietly.

"We can't just leave him!" Della cried, her head snapping up and whipping around to look at the older girls behind her.

"Della, there's no time." Susan said gently. "They need to know."

Lucy frowned thoughtfully, turning to look at the forest that surrounded them.

"The trees." She said, looking at her sister and her friend.

"We can ask the dryads to send them the message." Della said in realization.

Lucy nodded and proceeded to call a dryad, asking her to send the message of Aslan's death.

Once the message had been sent, the girls stayed by Aslan's side for the rest of the night, wrapping their cloaks tightly around themselves as they slowly fell asleep.


	16. Joining the Battle

**Chapter 15: Joining the Battle**

Susan woke to the sounds of birds chirping, and she shivered slightly in the almost unnatural chill that seemed to permeate the air. She looked to her side and saw Della fast asleep, curled up against her and Aslan's still form, shivering uncontrollably as she wrapped her cloak tightly around herself.

"Lucy, Della, you need to wake up." Susan said gently, shaking the two girls lightly.

Lucy woke up within seconds, though Della burrowed herself deeper against Aslan, unconsciously trying to get some warmth.

"Della, come on. you need to wake up." Susan said, shaking the girl harder.

On the second attempt, Della woke up with a groan, straightening up and wrapping her arms around herself as she shivered. Susan sighed, seeing Della curl up against Aslan's now cold body and Lucy gently rub his face.

"We should go." The older dark-haired girl said gently, getting off the Stone Table.

"I'm so cold." Lucy said sadly, climbing down from the stone Table.

"Is t-this what b-being c-cold feels l-like?" Della asked through chattering teeth as Susan helped her down from the Table.

"Sort of." Susan replied sadly. "Though this is not the cold that comes from cold weather. This is from the very warmth of our hearts being stolen away."

Susan and Lucy down sandwiched a shivering Della, wrapping their arms around her to try and keep her warm.

Della, who had never experienced the cold for as long as she could remember, clung to the two girls as they walked away from the Table. They gave one last look to Aslan's still form before they slowly walked down the path away from the Stone Table.

They had just stepped onto the first stair when they heard the wind howl and there was a rumble behind them that was almost like an earthquake. They stumbled from the force of the quake and fell to the ground, each uttering small screams. Lucy and Susan managed to keep hold of Della so that the weakened shivering girl wouldn't fall all they way down the stairs and injure herself. Right after the rumbling quake, they heard the sound of something cracking.

Lucy turned and looked behind them, her eyes widening at what she saw.

"Susan! Della!" The youngest girl cried.

The two girls turned around and slowly got to their feet, Susan and Lucy helping Della up. They walked back up to the Stone Table, their eyes wide.

The Stone Table was cracked right through the middle and Aslan was nowhere in sight.

"Where's Aslan?" Della asked, not realizing that she was no longer shivering uncontrollably.

"What have they done?" Susan asked in horror, stepping up to the Table and looking at the crack.

They looked at the archway across from them as a bright golden glow seemed to emanate from the sun that hung behind it. Della frowned as she began feeling her strength returning, the cold that had seeped right into her very core seemed to fade away. Her frown turned into a look of shock and elation as Aslan walked up to the archway, alive and healthy with his mane once again full.

"Aslan!" The girls exclaimed in unison, running around the Table as he stepped forward.

The four met halfway, the three girls wrapping their arms around him in a tight hug, making him chuckle deeply.

"But we saw the Knife. The Witch." Susan said in confusion, pulling back from the Lion.

Lucy and Della pulled back from the hug as well, wanting to know how it was possible.

"If the Witch knew the true meaning of sacrifice," Aslan began, walking slowly around the cracked Stone Table. "She might have interpreted the Deep Magic differently. That when a willing victim who has committed no treachery is killed in a traitor's stead, the Stone Table will crack and even death itself will turn backwards."

"But why was I cold? And so weakened?" Della asked quietly. She stepped towards Aslan, standing against his side and absorbing the feel of his warmth.

"Because of your connection to Narnia, you felt my death." Aslan explained gently, making the three girls look at him. "You became weakened by feeling my death, and as such your body couldn't protect you from the cold as it normally would."

"And because this is the first time I felt cold in my life, I got a bucket loaded dose." Della said in realization.

"Precisely."

"We sent the news that you were dead." Susan told Aslan. "Peter and Edmund will have gone to war."

"We have to help them." Lucy said determinedly, her and Della drawing their daggers.

"We will, dear ones," Aslan said with a gentle chuckle at the girls' actions. He put a large paw on Lucy's hand, gently lowering the dagger before doing the same with Della. "But not alone." He walked forward between the sisters and knelt down. "Climb on my back. We have far to go and little time to get there." Della sat down first with Lucy behind her and Susan last. "And you may want to cover your ears." He added as an afterthought.

Aslan got to his feet and roared loudly, Della laughing delightedly at the sound while Susan and Lucy covered their ears. Aslan ran across the fields, the girls holding tightly to each other and his back to keep from falling from the rapid pace.

"Where are we going?" Susan asked.

Aslan didn't reply, running through a grove of trees. Della's eyes widened when she saw the tall icy spires of the Witch's castle in the distance.

"I think we're going to the Witch's castle." Della said.

"Oh." Susan said with an uncertain smile. "Sounds like fun."

"Hang on!" Aslan called to the girls a few seconds later as he picked up speed and ran faster when they cleared the grove of trees.

They reached the castle and the girls climbed off of Aslan's back. Lucy and Della ran between the stone Narnians, Susan right behind them, and came to a stop in the middle of the courtyard. Susan sighed sadly at the sight that surrounded them, her heart breaking for them. Della reached out to touch one of the statues, a Centaur with his sword raised.

The moment her skin touched the Centaur's stone chest, she screamed and drew her hand back immediately.

"Della!" Susan and Lucy yelled, Aslan bounding towards them.

Susan wrapped her arm around a gasping Della, holding her comfortingly.

"Aslan, what was that?" Della panted, looking at the Lion. "Something similar had happed at Badgers' home, but nowhere near this level of pain."

"When you touched them, you are feeling the moment they turned to stone." Aslan explained gently. "The pain and agony of being turned to stone."

"Okay. Don't touch them." Della muttered, her heart rate slowly returning to normal. "Got it."

"Mr. Tumnus!" Lucy exclaimed, her attention drawn to another statue.

Della whipped around and followed Lucy's line of sight. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide as she caught sight of her friend. Della and Lucy went to him, both fighting their tears, Susan and Aslan following behind them.

Neither girl could hold back their tears when they saw the Faun's face, frozen in a pained scream. Tears streamed down their faces as they sobbed and Susan wrapped her arms comfortingly around each of them, holding them as they saw their friend's stone form in front of them.

Aslan walked around the girls and stopped in front of the Faun. He gently blew on Mr. Tumnus and the girls watched, the younger two still sobbing, as the Faun's stone strands of hair rustled gently. Aslan stepped back as Della and Lucy looked at Mr. Tumnus, their sorrow giving way to shock when they heard his heartbeat echo in the silent courtyard.

There was an almost cracking like sound as the stone slowly faded, revealing the Faun's fair features that were marred by a few bruises along the cheekbones. Mr. Tumnus groaned in pain for several seconds before gasping when the stone faded completely and he was returned to life.

He stayed on his feet for half a second before falling forwards, Della and Lucy running towards him and catching him before he fell face-first on the ground. Mr. Tumnus slowly lifted his head and looked at the two sweet girls, relief and joy swirling in the depths of his blue eyes.

"You're okay, Mr. Tumnus." Della said with a delighted laugh, echoed by the Faun and Lucy.

The two girls wrapped their arms around him in a three-way hug, the Faun wrapping his own arms around them in return. The three pulled back slightly, still laughing delightedly.

"Susan, this is…" Lucy said, her laugh fading though a bright smile adorned her face as she turned to her older sister.

"Mr. Tumnus!" Susan said with a bright smile of her own, stepping towards the Faun and hugging him tightly.

Mr. Tumnus gasped in surprise when Della and Lucy hugged him as well, the Faun barely managing to stay on his feet under the weight of the three girls.

"Come, we must hurry and search the castle." Aslan said, drawing the girls and Mr. Tumnus out of their happy reunion. The four looked at the Lion, Narnians all around him once more back to life. "Peter will need everyone we can find."

"Let's go." Della said determinedly.

They searched the castle and found several more Narnians whom Aslan returned to life. Once the castle had been cleared, the revived army, led by Aslan, made their way to the Ford of Beruna where the battle for Narnia was taking place.

The reinforcement army was halfway to Beruna, Aslan leading them at a fast pace, with the three girls riding on the backs of thee Centaurs, when Della screamed in pain, wrapping her arms around her abdomen.

"Queen Asherah!" The Centaur she riding, Arafan, called in alarm, turning his torso around and holding her, keeping her from falling.

"Della!" Susan, Lucy and Mr. Tumnus yelled in alarm, running to her.

"What happened?" Lucy asked frantically.

"Edmund." Della gasped, griping Arafan's arm tightly with one hand while the other was still wrapped around her abdomen. Lucy and Susan gasped in fear, exchanging looks. "He's alive," she gasped, reassuring the sisters, "but in pain. A lot of pain."

"Asherah." Aslan said calmly, his calm air helping the frantic Narnians, Lucy and Susan slowly calm down as well. "I need you to push past the pain. Take a deep breath." Della nodded in understanding, doing as instructed. "Focus on Edmund still being alive."

Della nodded and closed her eyes, imagining a wall surrounding the pain she was feeling and pushing it back. She could focus on the pain when there weren't other things she had to worry about, like the fate of Narnia.

"Let's go kick that Witch's arse." Della said, her eyes snapping open and looking at the sisters, Aslan and the Narnians with determination swimming in her eyes.

"We're going to have to talk about your habit of swearing." Susan said with a sigh, giving her a quick hug and climbing back onto Zelis' back.

Della stuck her tongue out at Susan in response as they resumed their run to Beruna. The rest of the trek passed without incident and soon Aslan was running up to the top of a large rock formation overlooking the Ford. Reaching the top, he roared majestically, stopping the battle for a moment as everyone turned to look at him.

The girls climbed off the Centaurs' backs and ran up another formation, Mr. Tumnus beside them with the rest of the revived Narnians behind them. Della scanned the crowd in front of her, trying to find Edmund.

"I don't see him." Della whispered to Susan and Lucy.

"Same." Lucy and Susan replied in unison, their eyes scanning the crowd as well.

"We know he's still alive." Mr. Tumnus said reassuringly.

They saw Peter and the Witch resume their duel and ran forward, joining the resumed battle. It wasn't long before the three girls became separated after joining the foray.

Della summoned her sceptre and used it to create a wave of water beneath her feet, the element pouring out from the sceptre itself rather than needing a base with which to start with. She stood sideways on the wave and surfed across the Ford, guiding the wave with her sceptre while using her free hand to create medium-sized darts that she threw at the Witch's army as they approached her. From the corner of her eyes, she caught sight of the Witch pinning Peter to the ground with a sword.

"I don't so, bitch!" Della screamed, guiding her surf-wave towards the two.

With her free hand, she sent a powerful wave of water at the Witch, forcing her away from Peter. She manipulated her wave to lower her gracefully on the ground in front of Peter, protecting the blond boy from the Witch.

"You're not getting my loved ones, bitch." Della hissed, glaring fiercely at the Witch.

The Witch glared back at Della and swung her sword at the red-head. Della ducked and turned, grabbing the sword that had pinned Peter to the ground and pulling it out. Peter gasped in pain as the sword was pulled out and sat up slowly, watching as the feisty red-head Protector fought the Witch that had tried to kill him. The Witch, with only one sword, blocked Della's blow and swung her own sword back. Della ducked the blow and sent a wave of water from her sceptre at the older woman. The Witch dodged the wave and spun back around to face Della, her sword raised.

Della, hearing Aslan's roar behind her, ducked and the Lion jumped over the Protector. The Witch looked at Aslan in shock as the Lion sent her flying back several feet and pinned her down on her back. Della turned away from the Lion and the Witch, going to Peter and helping him stand up. All around them, Narnians rushed forward, finishing the battle.

Peter and Della watched Aslan turn around and look at them with wise and ancient eyes.

"It is finished." The Lion said with a sigh.

"Peter, have you seen Edmund?" Della asked the blond frantically. "He was hurt."

Pain was etched on her beautiful face as the wall she had constructed to keep the agony at bay slowly began crumbling.

"He was-" Peter began, only to be cut off by a cry behind them.

"Peter! Della!" Susan and Lucy yelled in unison.

Peter and Della turned around to the sound of the sisters and saw the two running up to them, skidding to a halt in front of them. Lucy hugged Peter tightly while Susan hugged Della.

"Have you found Edmund?" Susan asked Della when they pulled apart.

"No." Della replied, shaking her head and holding the older girl tightly. "I can't keep the pain back. It's getting worse."

"We have to find him. Fast." Susan cried.

"Come on! I last saw him a few feet away!" Peter called, picking Della up in his arms, unheeding of his own injuries and body screaming with exhaustion.

He led them to where he had last seen Edmund, and sure enough, he was exactly where Peter had last seen him. Edmund was laying on the ground, on his back gasping for air. One hand was on his abdomen where he had been stabbed while the other was pulling at the blades of grass.

"Edmund!" Susan yelled when she saw Ginabrik sneak up to the injured boy and raise his axe.

Susan drew her bow and fired an arrow at the Black Dwarf, hitting him square in the chest and killing him instantly. The three Pevensie's ran to their brother's side, Lucy taking out her cordial and Peter gently putting Della on the ground beside Edmund. Susan sat by Edmund's head and gently removed his helmet as Lucy poured a single drop of red liquid from her healing cordial into her gasping brother's mouth.

They watched with baited breath as Edmund stopped gasping in pain and fell still, Della following suit and sagging against Peter, falling still and her eyes fluttering shut. Peter, Lucy and Susan looked at each other in alarm, tears streaming down their faces.

"Please wake up." Lucy pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

"Della, Edmund, please." Susan cried.

"Please don't die. Please." Peter sobbed.

Suddenly, Edmund coughed and took a deep breath at the same time Della moaned. Peter, Susan and Lucy watched, wide-eyed and with baited breath, as first Edmund's then Della's eyes slowly fluttered open, the boy still coughing slightly. Lucy and Susan laughed in relief while Peter, with tears swimming in his eyes, pulled Edmund and Della into a tight hug, holding them for several minutes.

"When are you going to learn to do as you're told?" Peter asked Edmund rhetorically when he pulled back from the two.

Edmund didn't respond, only giving the older boy a cheeky smile and putting his arm around Della, holding her tightly.

"Are you okay?" Della asked Edmund worriedly.

"Yes, I'm okay." He replied, gently resting his forehead against hers and holding her tightly.

Edmund pulled back and looked at her, both completely unaware of the three Pevensie's around them. For a single heartbeat, they looked into each others eyes, seeing the emotions swirling within the depths of the orbs. Slowly, Edmund leaned in and kissed Della gently, a gentle press of his lips against hers.

Peter, Susan and Lucy's mouths dropped open as they watched their brother and friend have their first kiss. The couple pulled back and smiled at each other, their arms still around each other in an embrace. Peter pulled the embracing pair into another hug, Lucy and Susan wrapping their arms around them as well in a large group hug. They slowly pulled apart, and watched Aslan approach a stone Satyr nearby.

The Lion gently blew on the Satyr and revived him from his stone state. Lucy picked up her cordial and looked at it thoughtfully for a moment before looking at Aslan with a grin. Peter, Susan, Della and Edmund watched as Lucy got to her feet and ran to the nearest injured Narnians, putting a drop of the cordial's juice in each of their mouths. Once they were healed, Lucy went to the next group and did the same, before going to the next, then the next. Aslan went to each of the stone Narnians and revived them as Lucy went across the Ford healing the Narnians.


	17. The Coronation

**Chapter 16: The Coronation**

_3 Days Later_

Della and the four Pevensie sibling waited in the antechamber just outside the Throne Room of Cair Paravel. Each of them were dressed beautifully and extravagantly for the coronation.

Peter was wearing a dark blue velvet tunic with wide slit sleeves that revealed the light grey-blue silk sleeves underneath, gold embroidery on the chest and collar, a gold trim along the hem of his tunic, a gold cord around his waist, light gold leggings and dark blue knee-high boots. On his back, he wore a gold cape clasped with a gold pin at his throat.

Susan was wearing a dark silver-grey floor-length velvet dress with a round neckline, long dark grey silk bell sleeves with a line of gold buttons from the neck to the hips on the bodice and gold embroidery along the neckline and the bodice. On her feet, she wore dark grey flats. Over the dress, she wore a long dark blue cape, clasped at her throat with a gold pin. Her dark hair was curled and pinned back in a fancy low ponytail.

Edmund wore a grey velvet tunic with dark grey silk sleeves, light silver grey embroidery on the chest and a silver grey cord around his waist, light silver leggings and dark grey knee-high boots. On his back, he wore a light silver grey cape, clasped at his throat with a gold pin.

Lucy wore a light silver grey velvet floor-length dress with a round neckline and silver white long sleeves, puffed at the top before becoming straight and wide, with grey white pearls sewn along the neck and scattered across the bodice. On her feet she wore silver grey flats. Over the dress, she wore a red cape, clasped at her throat with a gold pin. Her dark hair was open, parted on the side and curled.

Della was dressed in a dark lavender floor-length silk dress with a round V-neck, thick straps and off-the-shoulder sleeves of silk and chiffon, a dark lavender sash around her waist and pastel lavender embroidery along the bodice*. On her feet were a pair of dark lavender flats with pastel lavender lace, pearls and crystals embroidered on them*.Over the dress, she wore a lavender-grey cape, clasped at her throat with a silver pin. Her long auburn lightly curled hair was curled even further and pinned back away from her face in an almost ponytail-like fashion, resulting in a half-up half-down style*. Her large eyes were a bright ocean blue, reflecting the calm ocean that lay at the foot of the castle.

"This is it." Susan said, fiddling with her hands, the only outward sign of her nervousness.

Della smoothed her dress again in a bout of nervousness, having been doing so every few minutes.

"Della, you look beautiful." Edmund said reassuringly, grabbing the girl's hand when she moved to smooth her dress down again.

"All five of you look wonderful, dear ones." Aslan said from the doorway, drawing their attention to him. "Are you ready?" The children looked at him, their nervous expressions speaking volumes. "Fear not, dear ones. You have each other, and together you are strong."

The five of them looked at each other, the last vestiges of their nervousness fading away.

"We're ready, Aslan." Della said, setting her shoulders straight and her head held high.

Her posture was mirrored by the four Pevensie siblings and Aslan smiled at them proudly. They each took their positions on either side of him - Peter and Edmund on his left with Peter right next to him and Della, Susan and Lucy on his left with Della next to him, Susan beside her and Lucy on the end. They walked out of the antechamber and stood in front of the large double doors that led to the Throne Room. Each of them could hear the massive crowd of Narnians that had been packed inside the room, each excited for the dawning of the new era.

A chorus of horns sounded through the castle and the double doors opened. The five humans and one Lion walked into the room and down the aisle made up of Centaurs, each standing at attention with their swords raised and pointed to the ceiling.

Aslan led the five humans to the thrones that sat on the raised dais at the far end of the room, over looking the large crowd. Reaching the dais, they stopped and smiles crossed their faces as they looked at their thrones, five in a perfect row with a velvet cushion on each seat.

Each of them took a breath and stepped onto the dais, walking towards the thrones while Aslan turned at the step and faced the crowd of Narnians. The five humans stopped in front of their thrones and turned around, facing the Narnians as well.

"To the glistening Eastern Sea," Aslan began in his gentle, deep voice, the sound reverberating in the silence of the Throne Room. "I give you Queen Lucy, the Valiant."

Mr. and Mrs. Beaver walked forward, each carrying a velvet cushion with the crowns resting gently on top. Mr. Tumnus walked behind them, a bashful smile on his face, with a new velvet dark sea-green scarf around his neck.

Mr. Tumnus took a delicate silver crown made of silver leaves and went to Lucy, who curtsied and lowered her head. The Faun gently put the crown on her head and stepped back as the newly crowned Queen straightened and raised her head, smiling brightly.

"To the great Western Wood, I give you King Edmund, the Just."

Mr. Tumnus took a beautiful silver crown and went to Edmund, who knelt and bowed his head. The Faun gently put the crown on his head and stepped back as the newly crowned King stood up and raised his head, smiling.

"To the radiant Southern Sun, I give you Queen Susan, the Gentle."

Mr. Tumnus took a delicate gold crown made of gold leaves and went to Susan, who curtsied and lowered her head. The Faun gently put the crown on her head and stepped back as the newly crowned Queen straightened and raised her head, smiling brightly.

"To the mystical waters of the World Pools, I give you Queen Asherah, the Divine."

Mr. Tumnus took a delicate gold crown made of gold leaves, silver babies' breath and white pearls* – a blend of each of the crowns - and went to Della, who curtsied and lowered her head. The Faun gently put the crown on her head and stepped back as the newly crowned Queen straightened and raised her head, smiling brightly.

"To the clear Northern Sky, I give you King Peter, the Magnificent."

Mr. Tumnus took a beautiful gold crown – slightly bigger than Edmund's - and went to Peter, who knelt and bowed his head. The Faun gently put the crown on his head and stepped back as the newly crowned King stood up and raised his head, smiling.

Once Peter was crowned, the five Royals stepped back and sat in their thrones for the first time while Aslan turned around to look at them.

"Once a King or Queen of Narnia, always a King or Queen. May your wisdom grace us until the stars rain down from the heavens." Aslan said, looking at the newly crowned Royals before turning and facing the crowd. As one, the Lion and the crowd called, "Long live King Peter! Long live King Edmund! Long live Queen Susan! Long live Queen Asherah! Long live Queen Lucy!"

The crowd cheered and applauded loudly, the sound reaching deafening proportions. Once the cheering died down following the ceremony, the Fauns began playing lively music.

"Come on Della, let's go dance!" Lucy exclaimed enthusiastically, removing her cape and jumping off her throne.

Della smiled and removed her own cape, hopping off her on throne and running to the middle of the dance floor. The two girls laughed in delight as they spun around, their arms crossed and hands clasped. The two girls let go of one another twirled around, being caught by two Fauns. The Fauns led the two girls in a fast dance, their movements fast and wild.

At the end of the song, the Fauns twirled them around and let go, letting the girls twirl around the dance floor once more. Lucy and Della twirled around and landed in Peter and Edmund's arms respectively, the boys having decided to join the two of them on the dance floor.

"May I have this dance, My Queen?" Edmund asked Della with a grin, looking down at the tine red-head in his arms.

"You may, My King." Della replied, a matching grin on her face as she looked up at the dark haired boy.

Edmund proceeded to sweep Della around the dancefloor in a rapid waltz, twisting and turning, spinning her left and right, Peter leading Lucy around as well. The four of them were the only ones on the dance floor, the Narnians stepping back to watch and marvel at how well the children had learned in the three days following the battle against the Witch. Halfway through the song, which was a Narnian tune known as the Nymph's Waltz, Edmund and Peter twirled their partners around and let go. The girls twirled around the floor freely for several seconds before being swept up once more by the two boys, this time Della was with Peter while Lucy was with Edmund.

"I can't believe we managed to learn this dance in only three days." Della said to Peter in amazement as he led her around the floor.

Peter smiled at her in response.

"I'm just glad I can actually dance." Peter muttered. "All those times we stepped on each others feet, leaving us aching and sore." He gave a theatrical groan and grinned when Della glared at him. "Get ready, one last sequence before it's over."

Della nodded as Peter spun her around one last time and let her go. She and Lucy twirled passed each other, their dresses brushing against each other, before they spun back into their original partner's arms.

"How do you think we're doing?" Edmund asked Della once she was back in his arms, spinning her left and right around the dance floor.

"If the amazed expressions are anything to go by, as well as the proud expressions on the Beavers' faces, I think we're doing very well." Della replied with a grin.

With a final twist and spin, the Waltz ended and the girls gave low elegant curtsies while the boys gave deep graceful bows.

As they straightened up, the crowd of Narnians applauded thunderously, pride and amazement on each of their faces, just as Della had told Edmund. The four made their way off the dance floor, joining Susan by the thrones and sitting down once more.

"That was beautiful." Susan said to the four of them.

"Thanks." Edmund said, breathing heavily and leaning back in his throne. "But I think I'll just sit here until I can breathe normally again."

His comment earned him laughs from the other four and he grinned at them. The five Royals talked amongst them selves before Susan was asked for a dance by a Faun. Eventually, the others went back onto the dance floor and danced together, alternating between dancing with each other and with the Narnians. At one point, they danced the Nymph's Waltz again, though this time Della stayed back and it was the four Pevensie's who shone on the dancefloor.

Several hours later, Lucy made her way to Della, who was by the food table and eating some fresh fruits.

"Della, have you seen Aslan?" Lucy asked, coming to a stop next to the older girl.

"Now that you mention it, no. Not for some time now." Della replied, a thoughtful frown on her face.

The girls wandered around the Throne Room, looking for the majestic Lion. Not seeing him inside, they decided to look outside and ran out to the balcony overlooking the Eastern Ocean. There, they saw Aslan down on the beach, walking away from the castle.

"Where's he going?" Della wondered quietly, sad that he was going without goodbye.

"Don't worry. We'll see him again." Mr. Tumnus said, causing the girls to turn around and look at him. He had seen the girls wander around the room looking for the Lion and followed them out to the balcony.

"When?" Lucy asked, a sad note in her voice.

"In time." Mr. Tumnus replied gently, walking up to the girls and standing between them. "One day he'll be here and the next he won't." He paused for a moment, leaning against the balcony. "But you mustn't press him. After all, he's not a tame lion."

"No." Lucy agreed quietly. "But he is good."

"Very good." Della agreed with a sigh.

"Here." Mr. Tumnus said, removing two handkerchiefs from his scarf and holding one out to each of the girls. "You both need them more then I do."

The girls took the handkerchiefs and held them in their palms, turning back to the beach to see that Aslan was gone. Mr. Tumnus smiled gently down at the girls and squeezed their hands comfortingly, knowing how difficult the adjustment is for them and the other three newly crowned Royals.

"You girls danced the Nymph's Waltz wonderfully." Mr. Tumnus said after several moments.

"Will it always be cramming lessons down our throats?" Della asked curiously, a somewhat frustrated and uncomfortable expression on her face.

The past three days had been a whirlwind of lessons in etiquette and protocol, along with meetings the seamstresses and tailors for clothes fittings. While in the end it had been worth it, Della wasn't sure if she was quite comfortable with the idea of their lives being constantly so hectic.

Mr. Tumnus laughed at the question, knowing just how frustrated the five children had become and how exhausted they were each night.

"Not always." He replied, his laughter slowing down to chuckles. "It may be somewhat hectic in the beginning while you are learning and meeting our neighboring countries. But in time, you will find it less so, as you become accustomed to your new lives."

"Looking forward to it?" Lucy asked, looking at Della with a grin.

"You bet." Della replied, a grin of her own crossing her fair features.

_Links (on pinterest):_

_*Della coronation dress (dark lavender with pastel lavender embroidery) - .ca/pin/713750240915725712/_

_*Della flats (dark lavender flats with pastel lavender lace, pearls and crystals) - .ca/pin/474566879469417664/_

_*Della hairstyle - .ca/pin/474566879470925175/_

_*Della crown - .ca/pin/AUhXqN4l7sKbPRKsjXnpjMOqODrR-WuU-II73AD4eDasLsw93WEtwMM/_


	18. Epilogue: An Ending and A Beginning

**Epilogue: An Ending and A Beginning**

_15 Years Later_

"Your Majesties! Your Majesties!" Mr. Tumnus shouted, running through the vast halls of Castle Cair Paravel.

"Tumnus, what has you running about so frantically?" An elderly female Faun asked him, a slightly reproachful note in her voice.

"I have news for the Royals." Mr. Tumnus replied, slowing to a stop and looking at the elderly female. "Would you know where they might be? They're not in the Dinning Room."

"They're in the Apple Garden. They decided to take breakfast outside, wanting to enjoy the morning air." The female Faun replied.

The female Faun had only just uttered the last syllable and the male Faun was off, changing directions and heading back the way he came and turning down a hallway. The elderly Faun shook her in amusement at the constant hurry the youngsters seem to feel the need to be in.

"Your Majesties!" Mr. Tumnus shouted as he ran outside to the Apple Garden, coming to a stop, panting, in front of the five Royals. They had just finished their breakfast and were discussing what their plans were for the day.

"Mr. Tumnus! Are you all right?" Lucy asked, getting up from her chair and hurrying around the table to put a gentle hand on her dear friend.

The beautiful 27 year old Valiant Queen, standing at 5'2, was dressed in a floor length red dress with a long double sleeves, the top layer the same shade of red as her dress before opening at the elbows and revealing the russet sleeves underneath fitted to her wrists. Over her dress, she wore a cape-like cloak the same russet red as her sleeves, held with a gold chai that crossed her collar bone. Her hair, which had lightened over the years to a beautiful light brown and reaching her elbows, had a section on either side of her temple pulled back away from her and pinned behind her head. Atop her head, she wore her silver crown.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Della asked in her musical lilt, hurrying around to the Faun's other side.

The breathtaking 28 year old Divine Queen, standing at 4'9, was dressed in a sky blue floor length dress with a round neckline that showed the light blue-grey underdress, double sleeves, the layer the same shade as her dress before opening midway along her upper arm and revealing the fitted undersleeves the same shade as her undress, with a gold chain looped around her waist like a belt*. Her long dark auburn red hair had a section on either side of her head twisted back before being tied into a braid behind her head, with the rest of her hair left loose down her back to her knees, curling lightly from the middle of her back*. Resting gently on her head, just behind the beginning of the twists, was her crown. On her right index finger, she wore her ring, the resting state of her sceptre, while on her left ring finger was a beautiful gold and diamond engagement ring* and behind it was a gold engraved wedding band*.

Unlike Lucy, she wasn't wearing a cloak due to her inability to feel the cold. Her powers had gotten stronger over the past fifteen years, to a point that when she cried, she caused rain to fall, the intensity of the shower depending on her emotions at the time – if she was crying angry tears, the storm would be a raging typhoon, and if she was crying happy tears, the storm would be a gentle shower.

"A White Stag has been spotted in the Western Wood!" He gasped, panting.

The five Royals gasped in shock, looking at each other. Susan, Edmund and Peter shot to their feet at the news.

"You girls stay at the castle, I'll go get the Stag myself." Edmund said, looking at the three women with a smirk on his face.

The handsome 29 year old Just King, standing at 6'2, was dressed in a purple grey high-collared tunic with puffed sleeves that became fitted at his forearms down to his wrists, a brown belt around his waist, brown leggings and knee-high boots. He had a mauve cloak pleated and pinned to his left shoulder, draping down over his right arm and back. His dark brown hair reached his shoulders in a neat layered cut and he wore his silver crown on his head. On his left ring finger, he wore a gold engraved wedding band*.

"I don't think so, honey." Della said, rolling her currently light blue eyes, reflecting a peaceful cloudless sky, and looking at her husband.

"We should all go to catch the Stag." Susan said with a bright grin.

The stunning 31 year old Gentle Queen, standing at 5'3, was dressed in a purple floor length dress with the over skirt parting in the middle to reveal the yellow-green under skirt, off-the-shoulder sleeves with purple at the shoulders and cuffs and pale pink in between. She had an amethyst purple train-like cape pinned to her shoulder-blades. Her long dark hair, reaching her elbows, was curled and pinned back away from her face in a half pony, with her golden crown resting on her head.

"Mr. Tumnus, can you alert the stable master and inform him that we wish to go riding?" Peter asked the Faun, who was breathing normally once again.

The charming 32 year old Magnificent King, standing at 6'5, was dressed in a deep maroon long-sleeved tunic, puffed at the upper arms before becoming fitted from the elbows down to his wrists, with a white high-collared shirt underneath, a brown belt, brown leggings and brown knee-high boots. Like Edmund, he had his dark purple cloak pleated and pinned to his left shoulder, draping down his right arm and back. His golden hair reached his shoulders in layered waves, and he had a rugged beard along his jaw and chin. His golden crown rested gently on his head.

"At once, Your Majesties." Mr. Tumnus replied, bowing his head and turning, heading in the direction of the stables.

"Do you think he'll ever go back to calling us by our names?" Della asked ponderingly, looking to where the Faun had disappeared.

"Ash, I sincerely doubt it." Edmund replied, putting his arm around her shoulders and squeezing gently.

Edmund and Della had been married for the past 9 years, having gotten married when they were 19 and 20 respectively. He was the only one who called her 'Ash', as a diminutive of her first name 'Asherah' which is what the kingdom knew her by. The other three Pevensie siblings, her in-laws, called her 'Della', the name they had known her by since they met fifteen years earlier.

The five Pevensie's made their way out of the garden, Edmund and Della behind the other three and talking softly between themselves.

"Have you gotten a response from the doctor?" Edmund asked Della quietly, not wanting to alert his siblings to their conversation.

Della had been feeling incredibly sick the past several days, throwing up whatever she ate and not being able to keep much food down. Thankfully, as far as Della was concerned, it was only her husband who had noticed. At his repeated urging, she had finally gone to the doctor to get checked out the previous day.

They had both agreed not to mention anything to the others until they got the results of the tests, unless Della's condition seemed to worsen. Neither wanted to worry the others if it was a simple sickness, particularly since they each already had plenty to worry about to begin with.

"Not yet. He had just done the tests yesterday, so it will take a few days before the results come in." Della replied just as quietly, absently putting a hand on her flat stomach.

"Do you still feel sick?"

"Yes, but he said that it doesn't seem to be cause for concern at the moment. If I get worse before he can give me the results, then he wants me to go see him immediately."

Edmund nodded and tightened his hold around her shoulders reassuringly. He was worried, but eh knew that Della was in good hands and that he would know the instant she began feeling worse.

However, they needn't have worried about drawing attention to their conversation as the other three Pevensie's were having a discussion of their own.

"So, what is the plan for their anniversary this Saturday?" Peter asked Susan quietly.

"We have the ball in the evening, like always." Susan replied. "But I was thinking that we give them the day before, Friday, to themselves. No work, no responsibilities. Just time to be a married couple."

"That would be nice." Peter said, nodding. "They are both incredibly busy, so having a day to just be a couple would be a good idea."

"Then, on Saturday, we would have the ball with our allies from the neighbouring kingdoms." Lucy said, barely managing to hold back her excited squeal, lest she alert the couple in question behind them.

Over the next several minutes, the three Pevensie siblings ironed out the plans with Susan making mental notes as she was the official party planner of the family. Behind them, Della and Edmund, unaware of their being the topic of discussion, talked about their plans for the redesigning of their quarters. They had been intending to redecorate their shared quarters for several months but kept getting sidetracked by other duties or were simply unable to settle on a particular design, leading to spectacular rows between the two.

Reaching the stables, they found their Horses already saddled and ready for the hunt. Mounting their Horses, they rode out from the castle grounds and headed for the Western Wood.

Several hours later, the sun hung low in the sky, the five Pevensie Royals rode through the forest, chasing the White Stag, Peter in the lead with Susan behind him, followed by Edmund, Della and Lucy.

Philip, Edmund's Horse, began slowing down while Lucy and Della passed them, giggling at the dark-haired man.

Edmund frowned worriedly as Philip slowed to a complete stop, the brown Horse breathing heavily.

"Are you all right, Philip?" Edmund asked, patting the side of Philip's neck gently.

"I'm not as young as I once was." Philip replied, panting lightly and turning his head to look at the Just King.

The two turned to the sound of Horses whinnying as the other four Pevensie's rode back and rejoined them.

"Come on, Ed." Susan said, stopping her Horse in front of her younger brother.

"Just catching my breath." Edmund said, gently patting Philip's neck reassuringly.

"Well that's all we'll catch at this rate." Susan said in exasperation.

"What did he say again, Della?" Lucy asked her sister-in-law, the two younger woman coming to a stop on either side of the older woman, Peter beside Lucy.

"'You girls wait at the castle, I'll catch the Stag myself'." Della replied, deepening her voice to imitate her husband's baritone voice.

The three Queens chuckled, Peter and Edmund's deep chuckles mixing in with their lilting voices. Peter's chuckles faded as he caught sight of something beside them.

"What's this?" The blond Magnificent King said, climbing off his Horse and stepping forward.

He looked at the iron pole that caught his attention, vines of leaves climbing up the pole and curling around the glowing lantern at the top. The other four Pevensie's climbed off their Horses and stepped forward, looking at the lamppost.

"It seems familiar." Edmund said, a thoughtful frown on his face.

"As if from a dream." Susan said, an almost dazed expression on her face.

"Or a dream of a dream." Della breathed, a similar dazed expression on her own face.

"Spare Oom." Lucy said, remembering a story that Mr. Tumnus used to tell them so many years ago.

"War Drobe." Della breathed, her dazed expression becoming a frown as she remembered the story as well.

Lucy looked at her siblings and sister-in-law before picking up her skirts and running through the forest, Della half a step behind her.

"Ash!" Edmund called.

"Lucy!" Peter called.

"Not again." Susan muttered exasperatedly.

The three ran after the youngest two, something they were all quite used to over the past fifteen years.

"Lu? Della?" Peter called as they followed Lucy and Della through the trees.

"Come on!" Della said in an excited whisper, grabbing her brother-in-law's arm and pulling him forward.

They walked through the trees, grunting as the branches seemed to get closer together.

"These aren't branches." Peter said with a groan, pushing something furry away from his face as he followed his sister and sister-in-law.

"Ow!" Edmund cried when something hit him, Della wincing at the same time.

Their intertwined bond had become stronger over the years, to the point that they could sense the other's general location and emotions no matter how far apart they were. They were also able to feel if the other was in any physical pain, which had been how Edmund had known that something was wrong with his wife.

"They're coats." Susan said, looking at the furry objects that seemed to hang from the branches.

"Susan, you're on my foot!" Peter growled as they pushed through the coats and branches.

"Peter, move off!" Della cried.

"Della, you're on my skirt!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Stop shoving." Peter said.

"Stop it!" Susan cried. "I'm not on your toe!"

They slowly passed through the forest and into the wardrobe, the door opening and expelling them one after the other. They grunted as they fell to the ground, back in their younger bodies and dressed as they were fifteen years earlier when they first entered Narnia.

"Oh, Duw." Della breathed, tears in her eyes as she put a hand on her stomach and looked at an equally alarmed Edmund.

They looked at the room door when they heard it open, revealing Digory Kirke.

"Oh!" Digory said in surprise, seeing the five children on the ground with the wardrobe door open behind them. "There you are."

"Grandpa!" Della exclaimed, having been fifteen years since she last saw as opposed to him having seen her two hours earlier.

"What are you all doing in the wardrobe?" He asked them, a knowing smile on his face.

"You wouldn't believe us if we told you, Grandpa." Della said, a smile on her face despite the tears in her eyes.

Digory looked affronted at his granddaughter's comment, as well as the agreeing nods from the four Pevensie siblings. He tossed the cricket ball they had been playing with to Peter, a smirk on his face.

"Try me." The elderly man challenged.

Several hours later, after telling Digory Kirke everything that they had experienced and Della getting upset with him for not telling her about Narnia, Edmund and Della went out to the yard for a walk.

"I don't feel sick anymore." Della said quietly after several minutes. "And I can't feel you."

"I can't feel you anymore either." Edmund admitted softly, taking her hand and holding it tightly. "We'll get through this, together."

"Together." Della repeated.

They turned and looked up at the sky, Edmund putting his arm around her and she leaned into his embrace, their other hands still linked.

They both prayed they would be able to return to Narnia, they're beloved home. They wondered what they would have to face when Edmund and his siblings returned to London and Della returned to Wales, how they're relationship would survive the long distance and the war.

As they pondered their thoughts, they couple was joined by Peter, Susan and Lucy, standing beside them as they looked out at the British countryside horizon.

"Come what may, we will get through this together." Lucy said, her child-like voice echoing the regality of her older self.

"Together." The other four Pevensie's echoed.

The five Pevensie's looked out at the horizon, for make no mistake, Asherah Adelaide 'Della' was no longer and Evans, but rather a Pevensie.

_Links (on pinterest):_

_*Della dress (sky blue with a blue-grey underdress) - .ca/pin/474566879478711080/_

_*Della hairstyle - .ca/pin/474566879479520744/_

_*Della engagement ring (set in gold) – .ca/pin/474566879484749463/_

_*Della and Edmund wedding bands - .ca/pin/474566879485272293/_


End file.
